When The Scars Run Deeper
by Tsukiko-Chama
Summary: The Sequel to Her Scars. It takes place about 19 years after the end of the previous story. Death the KidXOC, SteinXOC, and lots of OCXOC. NOT YAOI!
1. Being Asymmetrical

Chapter 1: Being Asymmetrical

Ryuka's POV

_This sensation. The feeling of his body molded to mine. Our hands in a tight embrace. My head resting on his chest. The sound of two heartbeats. The overly sweet smell of spearmint, clean linens, and vanilla. I love this feeling. Kid and I. Death and his mistress. Me and him. Perfect. Two halves of a whole. To pieces in a set. This was where I was meant to belong. Right here, in this place. This place that I call home._

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! **

I groaned and opened my eyes, awoken by the sound of our devil of an alarm clock that set at Kid's bedside table. I reached over and hit the snooze button before curling back up to Kid's bare chest. He wrapped his arms around me, running his pale fingers over my bare back. I lived for moments like these. Moments to where all we did was breathe. Love. That's all that it was. And it was just this that meant the world to me.

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! **

Ung, already? It seems like I just hit the damned snooze button, and now?

Kid reached over and turned off the alarm. He snaked his arms over my bare stomach and let out a sigh into my hair, "Morning."

I looked up and met his deep golden eyes and smiled, feeling safe, "Morning," I said with a smile before I sat up and stretched out my arms. The second I pulled my arms back in, Kid pulled me back down beside him. I looked at him with wide eyes. He brought his head down and set a trail of kisses down my throat. I let out a moan and then gave him a light push to get him off. He looked at me with kind eyes and I laughed, "We have to go to work, you know.'

He smiled and lightly bit into my earlobe, "Can't I just have you all to myself today?"

I slid out from beneath him and sat up, sliding on my black panties. I pulled my white nightgown over my head and gave him a smile, "You know that I have to go get the kids ready for school."

He stood, already wearing his black dress pants, "Sometimes I wish that I could just stop time," he slid my black robe onto my shoulders, "And stay with you forever."

My lips met his, "Yeah," I smiled, kissing him again, "Me too." Married for sixteen years and every day still felt like the first. A year after our marriage, we had been blessed with our twins. A boy and a girl, who were as opposite as night and day. I swear, raising a teenager is like trying to nail jello to a tree, but two? Don't even get me started.

"I'm going to go get a shower going," he pulled a set of clothes from his drawers and lay them out smooth on the bed, "Care to join me after you wake up the kids?" he asked, his breath warm and sexy on my ear and the bare skin of my neck. I felt heat growing up onto my face in a thick blush.

"I can't be tired for work," I gave him a smile, "and neither can you," I ran my fingers through his hair, "Mr. Principal."

He smiled and kissed my forehead, "Alright, Mrs. Nurse." Then he let go of my hand and stepped into the bathroom. I smiled and pushed open our door, walking through the white carpeted halls. I approached the black splatter painted door at the end of the hall. I lightly tapped my knuckles on the door before pushing it open with my palm, "Shay?" I flipped on the lights, "Shay, time to wake up."

He pulled the black and red quilt up over his head and groaned, "Five more minutes mom."

"Shay," I stepped closer to his bed as I navigated my way through his mess of a room. It was a good thing that Kid never came in here, because he would have a heart attack if he did, "Come on now. Don't make this difficult. Get out of the bed.

"Uh-uh," he groaned in protest before planting his pillow over the top of his head. He was so stubborn. So out there. Just like his grandmother.

"Shay!" I pulled his quilt off of him and tossed his pillow onto the floor, "It's Friday for Heaven's sake! Just get up!" Remember the nailing jello to a tree? It would be easier to do that than wake my son up.

He groaned and looked up at me sleepily, "I'm up. I'm up."

His sleepy golden eyes blinked at me, showing the glimpses of irritation. His black hair hung across his left eye, a natural (yes he was born with it) silver streak through the bangs in his eyes. His death-pale skin made him look like a zombie as he sat up in his full sized bed, wearing a dull gray t-shirt and his black boxers. He looked so much like Kid. If Kid had made the decision to no longer care about symmetry at all. He reached for his bedside table and grabbed his chain with his Death Skull charm and slid it onto his neck. He stood up and crossed the room with elaborate skill, his charm in the center of his chest. He pulled off his t-shirt and tossed it across the room, leaving his well muscled pale chest exposed in open air until he pulled his _Goodbye Normality _shirt on over his head. Then he grabbed his black skinny jeans from his dresser and pulled them on. He grabbed his leather jacket and pulled it on before turning to hunt down his black and red converse.

"I'm going to go wake up your sister now," I said, navigating my way back to the door, "Don't you _dare _go back to sleep young man."

He rolled his eyes and flopped on his bed and slid his foot into one of his converse, "Whatever."

"I'm dead serious Shay, if you-"

He laughed and gave me a smile, "I'm not going to go back to sleep, okay, Mom?"

I smiled back at him, "Alright, Hon. Just be downstairs for breakfast."

"Okay."

I shut his door behind me and headed a ways down the hall until I reached the door with a kitten poster and a few other "cute" accents. I knocked lightly before pushing open the door, "Sienna?" The sound of Beethoven's ninth symphony flowed from her room, "Are you awake, sweetheart?"

My thin daughter stood by her closet, pulling her black sweater vest over her pink-and-white stripped button down. Her long silver hair was pulled up into even ponytails on either side of her head. She wore a short pink plaid pleated mini-skirt and her pink converse with black knee-high socks. She wore a pink choker with a white gold Death Skull charm on it, two matching Death Skulls rested evenly apart from each other in her shining silver bangs. She turned around and smiled at me, her gold eyes full of her sparkling charm, "Good Morning, Mom." Now, Sienna had kind of always been a "Daddy's Little Girl", she was the sweet kind of girl who had seemed to get along with everybody. That had always kind of worried me. She had always had strait A's and hadn't ever misbehaved a day in her life. It worried me, because that was the kind of thing that kept a student sustained. She could be hiding things from me.

"Morning, Sweetie," I smiled, "How long have you been up?"

"Just an hour," she said with a smile as she straightened her vest, "What's for breakfast?"

"I think that your father is making waffles downstairs," I said with a smile, "I'm going to get dressed now. I'll see you at breakfast."

"Okay," She smiled and picked up her black phasmology text book, "I love you mom." I nodded and closed the door behind me before turning and going back towards our room.

Shay's POV

"Dad," I leaned back in my chair at the table, "Stop pulling your panties into a wad."

"I just don't understand it!" he ranted on as he sat across from me with his cup of coffee, "How can you be so ASYMMETRICAL?"

"I just don't see what the big deal is with it," I said, crossing my arms, "Symmetry isn't everything."

He slammed his coffee cup down on the table, "Symmetry _is _everything! Symmetry is key! It's what keeps balance in the world!"

"Shay," Sienna crossed her arms around her black text book from the Kitchen doorway, "Can you just listen to what dad says for once?" Sienna is such a goody-two-shoes, suck-up, daddy's-girl.

"I don't care," I said, taking a drink of my water, "I like what I like. You guys have your weird OCD obsessions. We're as good as even."

My father sighed and leaned back in his chair, "I don't understand you sometimes."

"Hey, what's going on now?" my mother called as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. She wore her hair up in a braid along with a black skirt and button down with her white nurse's coat and white shoes.

"They're fighting, again," Sienna sighed, taking a bite of her waffle. I love my sister, she's my twin after all. But sometimes - no most of the time - she is a real freaking pain in the ass.

"Let's just get going, shall we?" my father asked, holding my mothers hand and giving her a smile. I love my parents, I just hate the lovey-dovey. I mean, they're my parents. Not some teenage friends. Bleh. I could hear them last night. My God. I thought I was gonna hurl.

With little words, the four if us stood and headed towards the door. Yay. Time for school.

…...

"Shay!" I was met by a fierce hug delivered by my weapon partner and girlfriend.

"Hey, Saki," I said, returning her hug. She let go of me and smiled her pearly smile. Her emerald eyes sparkling, her long white hair as soft as snow. In looks, Saki and I were totally opposite. But in personality, we were a perfect fit. We were both into basketball, and all kinds of music. We both liked to stay up late. We liked to be outside and loved her Labrador, Scamp (who did nothing but eat, sleep, and play). We were a perfect match.

She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. I relaxed and kept my hold around her waist as she held onto my neck. So soft. So warm.

"Hey! No kissing in the hallway!" A familiar voice called in an angry tone as it got closer. Saki pulled away and laughed before turning and facing Mr. Albarn. He had kind blue eyes (well, they were kind when I _wasn't _around), long scarlet hair, and always dressed in a suit. He used to be one of Lord Death's Death Scythes. When my father took over my grandfather's position, he retired as a Death Scythe. He still taught the first year weapons, though. He was also Saki's grandfather.

"Oh, Papa!" she said with a smile before giving him a hug, "Can't you let us off the hook?"

"Now, Saki," he looked at her with serious eyes, "You know I can't-"

"Please?" She asked, large eyes shining. She knew that he couldn't resist those eyes of hers.

"Oh, Alright," He said with a smile, "I suppose that I can."

"Oh!" She gave him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks Papa! You're the best!"

I felt a smirk find it's way onto my face. I remembered back before Saki and I were partners, Sienna had once told me that Saki could talk anyone into anything. Quite the super power if you ask me. It comes in handy in situations like this. Sometimes though, she did use her powers for evil. Like the time she convinced me to take her to Edge Fest. Let's just say that it didn't go over to well with her parents when we got home. She didn't leave the house for a whole week because her mom wouldn't let her out of her sight.

"You two just get to class," Mr. Albarn sighed as he began to stalk off to his room, "And Shay," I raised an eyebrow as her looked over his shoulder and gave me what I think was the evil eye, but with him you can't be too sure, "If I ever catch you making moves on my Saki on school campus again, I'll be sure to tell your father." Then he turned and went down the hall before ducking into his classroom.

"Ooh," I said under my breath, "I'm shaking in my asymmetrical converse."

Saki and eye looked at each other before we started cracking up. She looked up and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, "We really better get to class, or Ms. Marie will throw a fit."

I smiled, "Yeah, we better," We started down the hall, "Or she'll make us help her find a husband." We both started laughing as we turned and headed into our first class of the day.

A/N: So that's would be the first chapter of When The Scars Run Deeper. Tell me what you thought of it. Not a lot happened in this chapter, but we have to get to know the new characters before we can really do much, don't we? I'll update soon! SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! ^^


	2. Missed

Chapter 2: Missed

**Earlier that Morning**

Tsubaki's POV

I lay curled on my side atop my creamy-colored sheets. My head felt heavy against my pillow. I faced the window, with my back to my bedroom door. Almost every other morning was the same. Just like this one. I always woke up at around four. I would be so tired, but I could never manage to fall back asleep. So I would lie there and think for what seemed like forever. I remember Maka telling me that I should get over it and move on, but I couldn't. I didn't love him anymore, I hated him. It hurts me to say that. I desperately want to know why he left us. Did he hate us? If that was it, then why did he come back here from time to time. I looked over at my nightstand where a picture of all of us stood together in front of the academy. He stood to my right. Maka stood with Soul on my other side. Kid and Ryuka next to them. Liz, Grey, and Patty after that. Then Professor Stein, Ms. Sanguine, Professor Death Scythe, Ms. Marie, and Lord Death at the end. That seemed like another lifetime, it was so long ago. Tears pooled in my eyes and ran down my cheek as I met his eyes within the picture.

_I don't want to care about you, but it's like I can't stop. It hurts to care. It hurts not to care. It hurts to hate. It hurts to love. Everything about you makes me hurt. So why does my mind stay on you, Black*Star?_

I wiped my eyes with the corner of my sheets. I could feel the sun streaming in through the thin white curtains. He didn't matter, but he mattered so much to me. I ran my hands through my raven hair, feeling it's silkiness between my fingers. This was entirely pointless. I needed to stop thinking about this and move on. It was like a poison sting, it didn't want to go away.

A soft knock hit my door before I heard it creak open, "Mom?" Taka's smooth voice floated through the room like music, "Are you alright?"

I sat up and looked at him. If there was one good thing about Black*Star, it was the fact that he had given me Taka. Luckily though, my son wasn't a bit like him, not even it the way he looked. Taka stepped closer and sat down on my bed. I sat a hand in his silky raven hair and met his deep blue eyes. He sat his hand on mine before gently pushing it off, but kept my fingers within his hold. Cream skin over more cream skin. He was quiet and calm, but always stayed warm and caring. I gave him a smile, "I'm just fine, Taka."

"Alright," he brushed my hand along his cheek before setting it down on the bed, "I'm going to school then." He gave me one of those heart-warming smiles of his. It was hard for me to believe that he was fifteen years old now, and his sixteenth birthday was only a month away. He began to stand, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back down onto the bed as I sat up, pulling him into my arms.

I felt a set of new tears bead down my face, "I love you, Taka," my voice was shaky. He returned the embrace as I sat my fingers in his hair.

"I know, Mom," he said, loosening his grip, "I love you too." He let go and smiled. He pushed my curtain of raven hair out of my eyes, "I'll see you after school." I watched him go in silence. I began to feel that emptiness return. I was so alone when he wasn't with me. Taka, you are the best thing in my life. Without your presence, my life would be even more of a mess than it already is.

Sienna's POV

I sat at my desk, textbook resting on it's slick black table top. I leaned forward on my elbows, resting my head in my palms. Class hadn't started yet, and I felt alone inside the classroom. The teacher, Mrs. Evans, wasn't even here yet. I sighed in frustration before head-desking against my table.

"If you keep slamming your head into the desk like that, you're going to damage that brain of yours. Or just bruise your forehead," a familiar voice said from beside me. I looked up, and saw my partner sitting next to me. His silky raven hair hung slightly into his eyes. His deep blue eyes containing a kind sparkle as he rested his head in the palm of his hand. He wore his usual black jacket with his faded, holey jeans and a black t-shirt with a white printed design on the front. His usual smile rested calmly on creamy skinned face, "Are you just going to look at me like that? Or are you going to say something?"

My eyes widened. I had been staring, hadn't I? That was a bad habit of mine. I didn't think of Taka in any way different than how I thought of Shay. It was just that he had features that went so interestingly well together. His mom was the same way, except I didn't stare at her. Just Taka.

"S-Sorry!" I gave him a friendly smile, "I was just wondering how your mom has been doing on her new anti-depressants."

He gave me that heart-felt smile of his that made a thin blush flicker on my face, "They're working a bit better than the last ones, but I'm not sure that they'll work this way for long. I'll definitely tell her that you asked about her. That kind of stuff makes her feel better."

I smiled, "That's always good." I really did worry about Taka's mom. My parents had both known her when they were in school, and her and Taka's father had been partners. After Ms. Nakatsukasa found out she was pregnant, her partner stayed around for about three months before he left her before Taka was even born. She hadn't really ever been happy after that. My father told me that she had even moved in with them for a while after Taka was born. In truth, Taka and I have been friends for almost as long as I could remember. He had always loved to play with that old chess set.

"Alright, Class," Mrs. Evans walked into the classroom. She had long mousy brown hair that flowed to her waist. Her emerald eyes sparkled, especially when she smiled. She usually wore a white sweater with loose-fitting jeans and a pair of white tennis shoes. She was three months pregnant now, and when her daughter, Saki, A.K.A. Shay's girlfriend and partner, had found out, she wasn't too happy about it, "Today we're going to go over the development of the Kishin over time."

A girl a few rows in front of me raised her hand, "But, Mrs. Evans, I thought that Lord Death, our principal, killed the Kishin almost twenty years ago."

A smile slid onto Mrs. Evans face, "That's absolutely correct, Eunice. Lord Death did exterminate the Kishin Asura. But even when the Kishin was thought to have disappeared, his madness still lingered. We spent almost three whole years Kishin-free, but then things changed. The Kishin's madness began to take the forms of what seemed to be regular humans," Mrs. Evans sat down in her desk chair and folded her arms over her chest. Her smile faded into a slightly curved frown, "That's why Kishin's are much more dangerous now than it was when I was a young meister. A Kishin can take any form. In fact, it could even be a student in this school." The entire class froze, feeling Mrs. Evans soul-seeing eyes sweep across the room. She had been the top meister in her class when she was our age. Aside from my father, of course. She had turned her partner, Saki's father, into a Death Scythe. She had in fact been there when my father destroyed the Kishin.

"That is why," Mrs. Evans smiled from her place at her desk, "You must all learn about the Kishin."

Death the Kid's POV

I crossed the Death Room, my black shoes gliding soundlessly over the white floor. I know that quite a few people say this, but my job is so boring. I know. Being the grim reaper should be exiting. After working at it for about fifteen years, it loses it buzz. All I do is watch the mirrors for Kishins, then I write notices for them. Then Spirit puts the notices on the working board. Liz and Patty are here with me, but today, since it was Friday, I let them go to an early lunch. They'd be bored out of their minds here anyways. I'm bored out of my mind anyways.

I sank down into the throne-type chair that had been mine ever since father purchased it for me over twenty years ago. I had grown used to it over time, and now it was almost all I ever sat in at work. I sighed and leaned back in the chair, feeling my back press to the smooth surface of the golden colored chair. I let out a sigh and let my head hang forward, "Why am I so tired?"

"Maybe it's because someone needs to start taking those sleeping pills I took the trouble to write him a prescription for," I heard a voice as smooth as silk say from behind me before I felt her hands begin to rub the tired muscles of my shoulders, "My Shinigami Insomniac."

I chuckled and relaxed under her therapeutic hands, "I keep forgetting about those, don't I?"

"Yes," Ryuka laughed as she continued to massage my shoulders, "You do, dear. Just because you're a Shinigami, that doesn't mean you can't suffer from insomnia."

"Well," I sighed, "Tomorrow's Saturday, and then I can sleep all day long."

"You're supposed to sleep at night, dear," she laughed running her fingers over my chest beneath my shirt, her touch warming my cool skin.

"Nighttime," I looked up, meeting her olive-gold eyes, "Is the time for lovers," she walked to the side of me and my lips brushed her ear, "a time for you and I, my love."

Her face emitted a small blush before she pressed her lips to mine. I cupped her face in my palm as she pulled herself onto my lap. One kiss turned into many, as the two of us ground together.

"Hello?" I heard a voice ask from the doorway, "Papa? Are you in here?"

She pulled away and whispered, "It's Sil."

I smiled, "Yeah, Silver. I'm In here."

"Okay, good," I heard Silver say as she got closer with a smile.

Ryuka stood up and smiled, "Hey, Silver!"

"Mom!" She ran forward and hugged Ryuka. She was twenty five now, and still looked the same as she did when she was younger. Her long timber wolf hair still flowed to her ankles. She was still pale and slender. She was just a few inches shorter than Ryuka. She then greeted me with a hug as well. We had been her adopted parents for the nearly the past twenty years.

"Not to be rude or anything," I said as we pulled out of our hug, "But what are you doing here sweetheart?"

"Oh," She held up a large black picnic basket, "I'm going to be off work for the next two weeks, because the building is being remodeled, so I thought that I could come visit you guys for a while. I know that I only live across town, but it seems like we don't spend time together anymore," She smiled again and pulled a blanket out of the basket and began to spread it on the floor, "I brought lunch."

"Oh," Ryuka smiled and helped Silver spread out the blanket, "What did you bring?"

"Some lasagna," The three of us took seats, "And brownies," she began to pull things out of the basket, "That's okay, right?"

"Of course it is," Ryuka smiled, "I'm just happy that you get to come be with us for a while."

"Oh," Silver smiled, "Papa, can Sienna and Shay eat with us too?"

"Well," I pulled out my golden pocket watch and checked the time, "I suppose that would be alright, let me call them." I stood up and crossed the room towards the mirror. I spared them the humiliation of being announced over the intercom. I dialed Shay's pocket mirror number and waited until it opened to his face.

"Dad?" he asked.

"Shay, can you grab your sister and come to the Death Room to eat lunch with us?"

"Why?" he looked with curious eyes, "I eat dinner and breakfast with you everyday. Why is lunch required to be eaten with you guys too all of a sudden."

"This is why," I stepped away so that he could see Silver and Ryuka sitting on the blanket in the middle of the floor, "She came to see us and wants to eat lunch with you guys. He's your sister."

"Okay," Shay smiled, "We'll be there in just a minute."

The image on the mirror went dark and crossed the room back over to my wife and daughter. I sat down beside Ryuka, across from Silver just moments before Shay and Sienna entered the room.

"Hi Daddy!" Sienna beamed as she came and sat on the other end of the blanket.

"Sup," Shay said with a smirk before sitting opposite Sienna. Shay had always been close to Silver. About as close as two siblings could get. So, it made him really happy when he got to see her.

"Finally," Ryuka smiled, "We're all together again."

A/N: FINISHED! *lets out breath* I'm REALLY sorry that it took me so long to update. I just couldn't think and was having writer's block and BLARGH! So I'm just happy that I'm finally done. I hope you guys liked this chapter. I got a question from a reader asking where Silver was, So I decided to pull her back into the story. We got a bit of fill-in on what happened to some of our characters since we last heard from them. I didn't realize until I was working on this that Kid's Family is all in ten year increments. Kid and Ryuka are 35. Silver is 25. And Shay and Sienna are 15. Weird, huh? Okay, well I Gotta start on the next chapter, so…I'LL SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	3. Running

Chapter 3: Running

Saki's POV

I smiled and stepped out into the sun. At last, the weekend had arrived! With the summer-type weather beginning to form, I could probably play basketball with Shay this weekend. I had gotten Taka into it last summer, so maybe he could play too. But then the teams would be uneven…And I know Sienna wouldn't play basketball, at least, not without putting up a fight first. Maybe if I could get Taka to convince her…

BEEP! BEEP! "Saki! Let's go!" I heard my mom call from her white Lexus parked in the small parking to the side of the school. I smiled and jogged over to the car before climbing in and pulling my misty green bag into my lap and closing the door behind me.

"Hi Mom!" I smiled as she backed out of the lot, her mousy hair following the motion of her head as she looked over her shoulder.

"Hey, Saki," She smiled as we began to slowly drive down the road.

"I am _so _happy that it's finally the weekend," I smiled, "It's supposed to be nice, so I think that I'll play basketball with Shay and Taka, but I need another player. Hmm…"

"Why don't you just ask Shay's sister?" she asked, turning the steering wheel with her palm.

"Sienna hates sports," I sighed, running my thumb over a loose thread on my bag, "She wouldn't play no matter who asked her."

"No, not Sienna," she said, tapping the break as we stopped at a stoplight. She looked over at me and smiled, "Silver."

I looked over at her, my snowy eyebrows raised, "Silver? She lives all the way on the other side of town."

"She's staying with Kid his family for a few weeks," My mom smiled before letting the car ease forward, "I bet she would really like it if you invited her to play."

"Okay," I smiled tapping my fist to my palm, "That's a great idea!"

My mom smiled and laughed before turning and pulling into our apartment complex's parking lot. She turned the key and pulled it out of the ignition.

"What's so funny?" I asked, slinging my bag onto my shoulder before shutting the car door behind me.

"You are just like your father in so many ways," She said before pulling open the lobby's door, "And so much like me."

I smiled, "Well that's how you guys made me!"

My mom laughed again before shutting the lobby door and pressing the elevator button, "How did you get so funny?"

"God made me _that _way," I said with a smiled as we rode up the elevator to the ninth floor of our building. By the time we reached our apartment, the two of us were both cracking up with huge smiles on our faces. I liked the relationship I had with my mom. It was like I could trust her with everything.

"Soul!" Mom called through the door, "You home?"

The two of us looked around the apartment for my father. Eventually I found a note taped to the freezer.

_Maka and Saki,_

_I went out to get some take-out for supper. I should be back at around 5:00. Make sure Sammy doesn't try to chew up the carpet again. I'll see you when I get home._

_Love,_

_Soul_

"Mom!" I called over my shoulder, "Dad went to go get something for dinner! I'm going to take Sammy for a walk, okay?"

"Okay!" She called from her and my father's bedroom, probably straightening up the room. That's usually what she did when she got home. I sighed and walked into the living room.

"Sammy!" I called across the house as I pulled his woven green leash off of the hook, "Come here boy!" Within a few moments my overly-energetic Labrador retriever came bounding out of my room and tackled me in a lick-fest. I laughed and pushed him off, "You silly boy!" I smiled, wiping the drool off of my face and clipping the leash onto his collar, "let's go for a run! Wait a sec…" I tapped my chin, "If I'm going to run, I have to change clothes, don't I boy?" Sammy barked in response, "Your absolutely right!" I smiled and scratched him between the ears. I sat the leash down on the coffee table and dashed across the living room and slid into my bedroom before shutting the door behind me. I quickly stripped myself of my clothes and pulled open my top dresser drawer. I pulled out my white sports bra and green jogging shorts before sliding them on. I grabbed a pair of socks and slid them onto my feet. I tied my tennis shoes on and pulled my long snowy hair up into a pony tail before securing my black pouch onto my arm and slipping my mp3 inside. Now I was ready to go running.

I stepped out of my room and swept into the living room before picking up Sammy's leash and jogging out the door. I slid my ear buds into my ears before jogging down the fire escape at the end of the hall and out onto the street. Then I broke into a run with Sammy in the lead.

Taka's POV

"Will that be all for you today, Ma'am?" I asked as I stood behind the shop's counter, tapping my fingers lightly on the glass tabletop. I brushed my dark hair from my eyes with my free hand before looking up at the woman in front of me.

"Yes," The woman smiled, tucking a loose strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear, "I think that may be- wait," her gaze went to a small glass figurine behind me, "Can I see that?"

I turned and faced the shelves behind me before asking, "Which one?"

"The horse one," I scanned the shelves, "with the mother and the foal."

A smile crept onto my face before I pulled the figurine off of the shelf with careful fingers and sat it on the shop counter, "Here you are, Miss."

The young woman smiled, showing off her pearly teeth, a gleam in her crystal clear eyes as she looked at the piece, "Who is the maker of this one?" She asked, touching the top of the mother's head with her fingertips.

"Well," I smiled lightly, "I am."

"You?" the young girl asked in astonishment, "Wow," she giggled and curved the tip of her finger under the jaw of the foal, "It's beautiful."

"Thank you, Ma'am," I said with a smile, turning up the charm a notch, "I appreciate the complement."

"So, how much?" the young woman asked, leaning forward and allowing the neckline of her already very low neckline top to drop and inch, revealing more of her chest. I kept my eyes up.

"That piece actually isn't for sale," I said, picking it up and setting it back on the shelf.

"I didn't mean the glasswork," she smiled and leaned further across the counter, her tiny pink shopping bag dangling in her hand, "I was talking about you."

My eyebrows went down, "I am not that kind of person," I said, keeping a firm look on my face, "I am very aware that this is the same shop with a host club running next door, and I will be happy to show you the door to it. But," I leaned across the table, "I just don't do that kind of work."

The woman leaned up slightly, "What a shame," she walked to the door, "You could make some serious money making women happy and letting them fawn over you."

I clenched my fist and grit my teeth together. I had heard that from so many customers that came into this shop that it was aggravating. I was above that kind of thing and would never stoop to that kind of level.

"Hey, Taka," I heard my boss call from the back of the store, "You can go ahead and leave now."

I crossed to the back of the store, "Dan, I've only been here for two hours today. I could really use the money, and-"

Dan held a wad of cash up to me, "Go ahead and take it," he said, staying focused on what he was doing. Was he packing?

I took the wad of bills into my hand, "What is-"

"Taka," he looked up at me, his green eyes edging in sadness, "I have to close the shop."

I felt my eyes widen, "W-What?"

"The shop hasn't been getting enough business," He turned and continued to pack, "I have to close it down."

"But," my eyes still felt really wide, "What are you going to do with all of this stuff?"

He picked up a box and held it up to me, "Take anything that you want. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with all of this."

"Dan?" I asked, setting a hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to do something like that for me. You can keep your money and-"

"I want you to take it and anything in the store you want," he said looking up at me with his kind eyes.

"But-" he gave me a look that said if I didn't stop arguing with him, he'd kick my ass, "Okay."

I tucked the money into my pocket and walked around the shop in curiosity. I picked up a box of in scents and sat them in the box. I then walked over to the shelf behind the counter and picked up the horse glass figurine before sliding it into a small white padded box and placed it into my box as well. It was shortly followed be several other glass figurines that I had crafted over the past year. I then crossed the store and picked up the violin and case that had been in here since I had begun working here. I slid the violin into the case before sliding it into the box. I scanned the shelves of the store, my eyes settling on a small silver necklace with a delicate rose charm on it. I looked at it and placed it in it's small navy colored box before setting it in the box as well. I added a few more various trinkets, an old pocket watch, a few tiny wood carvings, some old coins. Then I stopped on the last shelf. A shining deep blue stone rested on an onyx band with a matching one resting in the box next to it. I recognized those rings. They were promise rings. I closed the lid of the box and set those in my box as well. I walked towards the door and stooped down to pick up and old chess set before placing it in the box and pushing the door open with my back.

"Bye, Dan," I called over my shoulder as I walked out the door, "Thanks for everything!"

I begun to walk down the quiet evening streets of Death City. Even though it was nearing five a clock, the rush of trying to get home was over and done with. Whenever I had closed up the shop, the streets had always been eerily silent. But today, it seemed almost sad. I would have to find another job. Sure, my mom worked, but it never seemed like she had enough money to support us. This is one of the reasons I hated my father. He left my mom in her time of greatest need. My mom was my hero, because she had managed to raise me all on her own. Of course, she had some help from Sienna's parents, and moral support from Mrs. Evans and her husband. Still, what my father did was inexcusable and unforgivable. I felt my brows slant together. My mom said that I did that when I was thinking too hard.

My thoughts where interrupted by the sound of approaching running shoes. I looked up to see Saki, her dog ahead of her. Her snowy hair bouncing in it's elastic band behind her. Her long pale legs propelling her towards me. Her well-built, pale body glistened with a light sheen of sweat. Shay was a really lucky guy. Not only was Saki really hot, but she was also really nice and sporty. She was one of those people that made your day a little brighter. The kind of person you wanted to be around.

She looked up and pulled one of her ear buds from her ears, "Hey, Taka!" She smiled as she got closer. She stopped and gave me a smile before getting a drink from the nearest water fountain.

"Hey, Saki," I smiled, setting my box down on the bench just as she set down beside it, "Running again?"

"Everyday!" She smiled, scratching Sammy between the ears, "So I was wondering-Hey, What's in the box?"

"Oh," I smiled and patted the box, "The store ended up getting closed down. Dan let me take some stuff."

"I'm sorry," Saki said, setting her slim hand on my arm, "I guess that means that you're going to have to find a new job, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," I smiled, "But that's okay. The shop was starting to get old lately anyways," I looked back up at her, "Now, what were you about to say?"

"Hm?" She asked, her white brows raising up.

"You said you were wondering something, but then you asked about my box. So," I pulled my bangs from my eyes, "What were you wondering about?"

"Oh!" She tapped her fist to her palm, "I remember now! I was wondering if you wanted to come play basketball with Me and Shay tomorrow?"

"Sure," I smiled as she stood and scratched Sammy's ears again, "That sounds like it would be fun."

"Okay!" She smiled and headed past me down the street, "Be there around two-ish!" She called over her shoulder as she took off down the street, her hair swishing behind her with Sammy running in the lead.

Silver's POV

It never ceases to amaze me how much I get along with my adopted younger brother.

"You drew all of these?" I asked, flipping through the fourth sketchbook he had handed me. He drew very interesting things. Clocks, birds, gothic architecture, trees, but he mainly drew pictures of Saki. I hadn't seen her in a while, but as far as I knew, they were still dating. She was a really nice girl. Sporty, into music. Just like Shay.

"Yeah," he answered over his shoulder as he threw yet another armload of clothes into the closet before slamming the door closed, "I've been meaning to hang some of those up, but I haven't gotten around to it yet." "I bet that Saki would like these," I said, holding up one that he drew of her, a Labrador pulling her forward as she walked. I smiled as a tiny blush came onto his pale face.

"She kinda doesn't know that I draw those," he said before sitting down on his bed next to me, "I think that it might weird her out a little. It seems a bit stalker-ish."

"They're really good, Shay," I said before closing the book and handing it back to him, "I bet she would think that they're good too. Do you take classes?"

"Not really," he said before setting the sketchbook with the others on his desk, "A grim reaper doesn't really need to go into that kind of thing."

"Shay," I sat a hand on his shoulder, "You can do what ever you want when it comes to profession."

"No I can't," he sighed, untying his shoes before tossing them across the room, "I'm a Shinigami. I have to take over Father's position when I get older."

"Shay, that isn't fair and you know it," I felt my eyebrows knit together,. I would have to talk to Dad about this later, "Why can't Sienna take the job? You know she would love to."

"Because according to Dad, it has to be a male," he sighed, "She can't do it."

"That is so stupid!" I hissed, "Anyone with the blood of a Shinigami should be able to take that job!" I stood up and crossed the room.

"Sil? What are you doing?" he asked, looking up from his spot on the bed.

"I'm talking to Dad about this," I growled, "He's getting a piece of my mind!"

A/N: ALL DONE! HA! I can finally get this snowball rolling! Now we can actually get somewhere and get this party started! From now on, the story is in full gear! I'm so happy I can say that! I have no idea when the next chapter will be up with the weird schedule I've been having lately. So, we are getting to know and becoming more comfortable with our new characters, yes? I really hope so! If not, just tell me! I'll tell you what you want to know! Okay, well, I'll see you all in the NEXT CHAPTER! ^^


	4. Closer

Chapter 4: Closer

Death The Kid's POV

I sat on the couch, my laptop in front of me. I had to get these reports on the current Kishin population by Monday, and I was going to be lucky if I even got finished by then. Now…how many Kishins had Shay and Sienna killed this year? Sienna had gotten twenty-nine, and Shay had gotten-

"Dad!"

I looked up from the screen, in time to see Silver flaming down the stairs, "Silver? What is it?" I asked, looking back at the screen.

"Don't play dumb with me!" She shouted, her thin brows slanting down, "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I said, continuing to type, "Because I don't know what you're talking about."

"How _dare _you say that to him!"

"Say what to who, Sil?" I asked, my black brows now slanting down. I didn't really have time for this.

"Listen to me!" She growled, slamming my laptop closed, "You told Shay that he had to take over as the grim reaper. That he had to because he was the only male line. That Sienna couldn't because she was a girl. Do you even know how wrong that is?"

"Sil," I felt my eyebrows slant down further, "That's has been the way it is since the existence of the Shinigami and their rule. It has always been a male god over Death. Therefore, Shay is the only person able to take the job when I resign."

"Do you even know your son?" She asked, her brows scrunched together tightly, "Has he ever told you that he _wants _to take over your position? Shay wants to go into art and he's _really _good, but you never even gave him a choice! You-"

"Do you think I ever had a choice, Silver?" I growled, standing up and putting my laptop on the coffee table. I saw her dark eyes go wide as she looked at me in surprise, "Not once in my life until the day I met Ryuka did I ever get a say in my life! I was told from the time I was able to stand that I was going to become the next Grim Reaper! I was never even given the choice to want something else! I always ran off to do what my father told me to the second he told me to do it!" I felt my teeth begin to grind together. I hated talking about my past, so I usually didn't, but now? What had made all that come out?

"Dad…I…" Silver shook slightly before sinking into the couch. Her head fell forward, her arms shaking, "I'm sorry, but you've granted Shay freedom in his life. You've let him do what he wanted. So when the time comes, are you just going to rip all that away from him?" She looked up at me, tears sparkling in her dark eyes, "Is that really fair?"

"He's a Shinigami, Silver," I picked up my laptop and crossed the room to the stairs, "He may not like it, but he knows his place." I walked up the stairs, letting out a breath. Before I even got to the top step, the feeling had already set in. I felt like a total asshole. But everything I had said…

I walked into mine and Ryuka's bedroom. Ryuka sat up in the bed, reading a copy of _Nightshade. _Her long hair was pulled over so it hung over one shoulder. She wore a long flowing black nightgown. She looked up from her book and smiled at me as I shut our bedroom door, "Hey, Kiddo."

"You know," I sat my laptop down and crossed the room towards our dresser, "You're the only person that still calls me by that anymore."

"No way," She said closing her book and crawling across the bed towards me, "Maka still calls you that too."

"Not to my face," I said, unbuttoning my white shirt and tossing it into the hamper, "No one does that but you."

She stood and snaked her arms around my bare chest, "Do you want me to stop?" She asked, running her fingertips over my skin. I could feel her warm breath snake over my shoulder blades.

"No," I said, my voice but a whisper, "Don't ever stop." I spun around, facing her before pulling her into my arms. I felt a few tears slip from my eyes as I embraced her closely. Her arms came up around me as I rested my face on her shoulder.

"Kid?" she asked, sitting down on the bed, taking me with her, so we ended up lying down. I was still on top of her, keeping her close to me. I continued to let a few more tears fall down, "Kid?" She pushed me up slightly, so she could see my face, "What's wrong?"

"Am I doing the right thing?" I asked, letting her brush the tears from my golden eyes, "With Shay?"

"Kid," She ran her fingers along my jaw line, "Does it feel right to you?"

"Not really," I said, rolling off of the top of her and curling beside her. She wrapped her arms up around me, pulling me closer, "Not anymore."

"What brought all this on?" She asked, running her fingers through my hair.

"I…" I closed my eyes and attempted to relax my body, "Silver and I had a fight about Shay just now. She kept saying how it wasn't fair to him. How he wanted to pursue art as his career, but he couldn't because of his being the only male Shinigami."

"Kid," She let a sigh into my hair, "We can have another son. I really don't mind. If Shay really doesn't want to do it, then why don't we just-"

"That won't work," I sighed, "There is only ever one male Shinigami born from the same father. That's the way it works. We'd just have another daughter."

"Oh," She ran one of her hands down my back, "Well, can't Sienna just do it? You know that she would be more than happy to."

"It has to be a male. That's the way it's been since the beginning of time."

"Well maybe it's time for things to change," Ryuka said, swirling her fingertips between my shoulder blades, "Just a little."

I let that thought sink in. Change the rules? Not such a bad idea. But what would the consequences be? Father had never talked about the Shinigami's that had broken the rules. He'd just said that they had disappeared from history. Could I do that to our family? Would it really be worth it?

"Hey, Ryuka?" I looked up to find my wife fast asleep, her arms still secured around me. She breathed peacefully in and out as she slept. She was still so beautiful, even after these years that had past. I wrapped my arms around her as well, keeping her close. I felt like a small child, being cradled by his mother. My…Mother?

I didn't really remember her. Father said that she disappeared right after I was born. We didn't even know if she was still alive anymore. Dad said that is was normal for a Shinigami's wife to leave soon after the children were born. Or she would die. Something always happened to where the child would almost always grow up with just one parent. Usually there was only one kid too. Ryuka and I were an extremely rare case. We were deeply in love. We were inseparable. And we had two blood children and one adopted one. We were a family, and that's what made us special.

I felt the lids of my eyes begin to grow heavy. _Ryuka…The way that you make me feel is so amazing._ I closed my eyes and rubbed my face against her fabric covered stomach. _I feel so happy when I'm with you. I love you so much…_

Saki's POV

"Okay," I held my basketball in the crook of my arm, "So are we playing girls vs. boys? Or Shay and me vs. Taka and Silver?"

"You and Shay always play together," Taka said, brushing his hair from his eyes. He wore a pair of loose jeans with holes in the knees and a _Vampire Weekend_ t-shirt, "Why can't you and I be on the same team for a switch?"

"I guess…" I said, tapping my chin, "Oh! I got it!" I said tapping my fist to my palm, "Since Silver's in town she can play with Shay since their brother and sister. And Taka and I will play together since were both weapons. Meisters vs. weapons!"

"That's a brilliant idea, Saki!" Silver said, a smile lighting up her face. She wore a dark grey spaghetti strap and a pair of black denim shorts. A pair of dark grey knee socks with light grey stripes went along with her light grey converse. Her long shiny hair pulled up into a braid.

"Okay," Shay said with a smirk, crossing over next to Silver. He wore a pair of black skinny jeans and a _Black Stones _t-shirt. His red and black converse made no noise as he walked over next to his sister, "Meisters vs. Weapons. I like it." "What do you think, Sienna?" I called over my shoulder. She looked up from her black book, her pigtails bouncing up as she did so. She wore a Death City tank top with the symmetrical skull design on the front and a pair of pink shorts. Her usual pink converse sat evenly on the ground. Sometimes - and I would have never said this to her face - she was just no fun.

"I don't care how you play it," She said before looking back down at her book, "You're not going to get me to play with you."

"It's not like we want you to play anyway, Sis," Shay said, placing his arms behind his head, "We already have even teams. Not to mention you suck."

"I DO NOT!" Sienna cried, picking up the nearest stone she could find and chunking it at Shay. Shay caught it in his palm and laughed before swirling it in his hand.

"You're getting a little better at that," He said with a laugh, "But you're going to need more practice, "He said before throwing it back. It whizzed past Sienna's head, right between her ear and her pigtail and smashed into the wall behind her, crumbling at the impact. Sienna may have been a determined Shinigami, but Shay was just as determined, even if he didn't seem like it.

Sienna's golden eyes went a little wide as she looked at Shay in surprise. I managed a nervous laugh, "Okay, guys, lets get playing."

Silver crossed over to center court. I passed the ball to her before she passed it back. I dribbled around the half court and then passed the ball to Taka. He caught and then jumped and tossed the ball, rolling it off the rim of the goal and through the net. Shay immediately caught the rebound, and went to make a shot, but not before I could block him. He bit his lower lip as I slapped the ball over his head and towards Taka. I let out a smile as I leapt to the side of him, but not before he grabbed me around the waist and caught me in a hug. He both fell down on the ground, cracking up, "Foul! FOUL!" I said between laughs and gasps for air. Taka walked up, a smile on his face.

"Now I know why we're always on the same team," Shay said with a smile, "I don't like it when you try to beat me."

"Maybe that's the point," I said with a laugh, standing up and brushing myself off before helping him up. I readjusted my white sports bra and green running shorts before fixing my white pony tail.

"Okay," Taka said with a smile, "Let's try this again. Weapons: 2, Meisters: 0."

Taka crossed to the center of the court followed by Silver. Taka passed her the ball and she passed it back. Then Taka took off across the court and passed the ball to me, but not before Silver dove in front of me and caught it. She dribbled twice and pivoted on her heal before tossing the ball into the goal. She smiled. Dang, she was good. I caught the ball and dribbled across the court, making a jump shot from the three point line. The ball bit the backboard before dropping down into the goal, "Weapons: 5, Meisters: 2," I said, smiling, "Looks like we're still winning, Shay," I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead. Shay smirked.

"Maybe now, but not for long," He said as I bounced the ball to him. He then bounced it back and the four of us resumed to play. I loved basketball for this exact reason. It was so much fun, and I got to play it with my best friends.

Sanguine's POV

"Come on, Stitches! We're going to be late!" I called, crossing my arms over my chest. I leaned against the wall next to our front door. I looked down at the small onyx wedding band on my finger. Twenty years, though it seemed like I'd been married to him so much longer.

"I'm coming!" he called, walking out of his bedroom and closing the door behind him, "I don't know why this is so important, though," he said crossing the room and opening the front door.

"The Old Lord Death called us up to meet him at the basketball courts today. I have no idea why, but if he ordered us to, even if he isn't still in charge, I'm going to listen to him."

"I understand that part," he said, turning down our driveway, "I just don't understand why he would call us to the basketball courts on a Saturday. It makes no sense."

"Ryuka called," I said shoving my hands in my pockets, "She said that her and three stripes got called there too. I wonder why…"

"Maybe he just wants to get together," Stein said, wrapping his arm around my waist beneath my worn black trench coat with the red collar (yes I had managed to keep the thing in one piece after all these years) and running his fingers over the slight curve of my body, "You know how lonely he gets now a days."

"It's not like we ever get lonely, huh, Stitches?" I asked, walking closer to him.

"How could I get lonely when I have my Bloody Sword to be with? Hm, Sanguine?" He asked in response to my question. I smirked, loving the feeling of his arm around me.

"Well, yeah," I said, tossing my red and black hair over my shoulder, "How could anybody ever get bored with someone like me? The teenager in an adults body."

We both emitted a laugh, turning a corner into the main part of town. I looked at the graffiti covered of the city and smiled. I loved this town. It was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

*FLASHBACK*

"Sanguine?" I looked up at Lord Death, who had a hand setting on my shoulder. It was bad enough that no one else in the school wanted to be my meister, but now I was stuck in the Death Room. Being fourteen without a meister sucked.

"Yes, Shinigami-Sama?" I asked, folding my arms over my flat chest. I felt my dark brows slant down.

"I believe I found you a new meister, Sanguine," He said. I looked up at him, my eyebrows perking back up.

"Really?" I asked, uncrossing my arms over my _Sex Pistols _t-shirt.

"Yes," he said, "His name is Franken Stein. He just broke it off with his last weapon partner, Spirit." I felt myself cringe at his name. I sat next to him in my Phasmology class. He was the most annoying person in the class. He whined too much and he could never shut up, "And now he's looking for a new partner."

"And he picked me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. No meister in the school wanted me. They always said it was my attitude, or I just wasn't good at resonating with them.

"No, I picked you," He said, turning me around to face a boy standing in the doorway about my age. He had olive-gold eyes with a glint of some sort of mixture of madness and sarcasm. He had silvery hair that hung down in his eyes and wore a white pair of pants and a matching shirt with stitches down the front. I turned and looked back at Shinigami-Sama. He gestured forward, "That's him. Well go on," he pushed me forward, causing me to end up pressed against Stein, "Say hello."

"Um…Hi," I said, a blush flicking onto my face, "Franken."

He backed up a little, "You can call me Stein."

"I don't like him," I said crossing my arms back over my chest and turning to look Shinigami-Sama, "Sama, he's a prissy."

"He is not, Sanguine," the reaper said turning me around, "Now go spend the rest of the day with your new partner. I already moved all of your things into his house."

"YOU WHAT?" Stein and I exclaimed in the exact same instance.

"Well, Stitches," I said turning and looking at him, "Looks like I'm stuck with you."

I turned and began to walk out the door. But not before my new meister was tailing after me, "I told you! My name is Stein!" He shouted, as we walked through the halls.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

I smiled at that memory, "Hey, Stein, do remember the day we met?"

He smirked as we turned another corned and approached the basketball court, "Yeah. You hated me."

"Did not!" I said, elbowing him in the stomach.

He laughed and straightened his glasses, "You called me a prissy!" He defended.

Before I knew it, the two of us were cracking up, something that was as common as breathing. Then the two of us were engulfed in a hug, "Mom! Dad!" The two of us smiled before returning the hug.

"Hey, Ryuka," We said in unison as she pulled away smiling. Kid stood only a few paces behind her, a playful grin on his face.

"Hello, Three Stripes!" I said, plunging my fingers into his hair, "How's my favorite son-in-law?"

"San!" He pushed my hand out of his hair and began to fix it with his fingers, "How many times have I asked you to stop screwing up my hair?"

"I don't know…9 maybe?" I said, counting on my fingers.

"No! Say eight!" He said, pointing an accusing finger at me, "It has to be eight!"

"Are you really an adult?" I asked, tilting my head to the side, "Because I remember you having the same spazz-attack over fifteen years ago that time when Ryuka accidentally put nine kinds of flowers in your wedding center piece instead of eight."

"That was different!" Kid defended.

"Okay you two," Ryuka said laughing, "Lets stop the argument for now and just find out what Shinigami-Sama wanted us here for," She intertwined her arm in Kid's and then the four of us began to walk towards the basketball courts, wondering just what the Old Lord death had called us here for.

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've just been really busy lately…But What do you guys think Of the story so far? I've been working hard on this chapter and finally got it finished! I was like: FIANALLY! I felt like the story was getting dry without Sanguine. She keeps the flow of sarcasm going, plus I've been told by quite a few that you really like her. I get the feeling that I have no idea where this story is going to take me…But anyways, I'm going to try to pull Lori into the story soon, because I have gotten questions like: "Where's Liz's daughter?" Well, just to let you know, she's still alive and well. She'll be back in Death City soon! But I will not tell you anymore about her! She's going to remain a mystery for now…hehehehe…so please leave me a review please! I WILL SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	5. Witch Hunter

Chapter 5: Which Hunter

Shay's POV

I crouched and stepped silently through the eerily quiet village. I held Saki's handle in my hand, feeling the weight of her blade tilting to one side. She was my scythe, and I was her meister. I looked across the lot at Sienna, who held Taka's handle in her hand. He was in his ninja blade mode right now. My Grandfather, Dr. Stein, stood behind me, holding his partner, Sanguine in his hand. Her blood red blade glistened against the dark of the village under the light of the moon.

"Shay, take about forty paces forward and then stop and take a left," My Father's voice buzzed in my ear. I pressed my finger to the transmitter and let out a low hiss of my breath before nodding, letting him know I'd heard him. Even if he was back in Death City at the DWMA, he could still see everything that was going on through his mirror. I nodded at Sienna and the three of us shot forward like bullets and made a hard left before dropping back down and leaning against the wall. I looked into the silver and black blade that was Saki, seeing her face on it's surface. I met her emerald eyes. She had a determined look on her face. Her long snowy hair hanging around her.

I looked back at Sienna and Stein. The two nodded. We crouched and proceeded slowly between the two darkened buildings. You're all probably wondering what we're doing here. Well, the old Lord Death, My Grandfather, had sent the six of us on this mission. We were to assist the Witch Hunter, and then take her into custody of the school. She was said to have a target here in Hari Village, so that's why we were here.

"Your almost to the center of the village," My father's voice caught into my ear. I nodded again. I closed my eyes and then activated my Soul Perception. I felt a weapon's Soul about twenty feet to the left of us. A mess of Kishin Souls and A witch's Soul weren't to far up from the weapon. I looked at Stein and Saki, realizing that they saw too. I nodded and we turned. We walked forward, but then stopped suddenly.

A girl stood still in the center of the village. Her short silver hair stopper at her collar bone, spiking out in several directions. She wore tight shorts that cut off at the top of her thigh. A pair of leather gray boots went up to her knees, and A leather jacket that cut off just below her shoulder blades. She wore a navy-blue spaghetti strap that cut off beneath her jacket, leaving the remainder of her tan, well built body exposed. She smirked when she saw me. I felt myself stiffen. Why were those blue eyes so familiar?

A few seconds after she met eyes with me, the building in front of her exploded. She did a flip up into the air and landed on her feet in a crouch. I shook my head and snapped myself back into reality. The three of us charged forward. Stein dove to the left, and Saki went to the right, me staying in the center. There was now a gaping hole in the building that had been blown open.

"You don't want to go in there," A voice said from behind me. I turned and looked, to reveal the girl from earlier, her blue eyes flowing from the flames licking the sky off of the building, "If you do, you're going to die for sure." She looked about nineteen-or twenty. Her body well cultivated and strong. She was tall, and looked like she could kick your ass any day of the week. A delicately crafted silver cross hung around her neck, "Look," She said walking closer to me, "You keep the little demons off of me, and I'll nab who I want, got it?" She did give me time to answer. Dove to the side of me just as a swarm of Kishin's erupted from the building. I lifted Saki in defense, meeting her emerald eyes within the blade. She nodded.

"LET'S GO SOUL RESONANCE!" We shouted in sync. I felt the soul energy began to magnify between the two of us. Strong and fast. Her blade doubled in size in my hand and curved into a triangular shape. I felt the Genie hunter surge through us both. I sped myself forward and charged. I swung Saki with ease, cutting through about twenty Kishin in the forms of children in the process. Their Kishin Souls floated around in the air as the innocent bodies collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

I glanced over at Sienna, who held Taka now in his enchanted sword mode, doing the same thing. Stein had Sanguine doing something similar, her lade glowing a deep blood red. Where was the Witch Hunter?

I heard a cackle and I spun, seeing a thin woman with a mess of blue hair hanging down her back. She wore a loose black cloak and her eyes edged in insanity. The Witch. A sudden bang that came with an electric blue flash raged through the air and the witch fell down over the edge of the building. I looked up in the direction the shot had come from and on the edge of the building rested the silver haired Witch Hunter. A silver Pistol rested in her palm. She spun it on her index finger before putting it back in her holster on her leg. She spread her arms in a "T" shape and dove off the top of the building and landed in a graceful manor only a few feet from me. I tossed Saki into the air and allowed her to transform and land beside me. I looked around. Ash fell through the air. Flames raged all around, sending smoke drifting into the sky, masking the stars from view. Red, misshapen Souls floated all around us. An electric purple one levitated just above the witches body. The Witch Hunter stepped toward the soul and took it in her hands. She smirked before hanging her head back and letting the purple drop down her throat.

"Wh-What is she doing?" Saki asked, taking my hand in hers. I stepped forward, Saki cautiously following me. The Witch Hunter's smirk widened, as if she were crazy and she stood. She turned and walked towards us. I pushed Saki behind me, putting myself between her and the blue eyed girl.

"I'm Lori," The girl said, reaching a hand out to me, "Lori Night."

"Shay Cross," I said, giving here hand a firm shake. She smiled but then looked at Saki.

"What are you hiding back there for?" She asked, leaning over my shoulder, "You ain't a Witch, right?" Saki shook her head back and forth. The girl smiled, "Then you've nothing to worry about." She reached out and Saki tentatively shook the girl's hand.

"Saki Evans," the girl smiled at the sound of her name, as if she knew it well.

Sienna, Taka, and my grandparents began to merge closer, a black cylinder in my grandmother's hand that they used to collect Souls for my father now-a-days.

"Thanks for the help," Lori said, smiling and walking towards them.

"Who are you?" Taka asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Lori Night," she said smiling. My grandparents looked at each other as if sharing a private joke.

"Taka Nakatsukasa," He said nodding his head, "And this it Sienna Cross, my partner." Sienna nodded. The smile crept back up onto Lori's face, her eyelids drooping as if she were enjoying a private joke.

"Lori," Stein sat a hand on her shoulder, "You're going to have to come with us."

Soul's POV

"Maka, will you just settle down and get ready for bed?" I asked, tugging off my shirt. I looked up at my wife, who leaned against the door frame, with her mousy brown brows slanted down.

"No," she insisted again, folding her arms over her chest, as she continued to think.

"Saki said she'd be home late. It's ten o'clock. I get the feeling that she'll be another hour or two," I sighed pulling off my jeans as well, leaving me in just my boxers. I leaned back and sat on the bed.

"Soul, why would they go to Hari?" She asked eyes narrowing.

"They went to go gain custody of the Witch Hunter, collect the witch Calla's soul, and take care of the Kishin population there," I answered. Pulling the quilt up over my legs. I flopped back onto the bed, my arms resting behind my head, "Why?"

"Wait," She spun and slapped her palms down on my chest.

"Ow! Damn it, Maka!" I groaned sitting up and looking at the set of red handprints on my chest, "I can feel that."

"_The Witch hunter?_" She asked looking at me with her deep emerald eyes.

"Yeah," I groaned, "Lor-" I stopped cold realizing what she meant. She nodded. I stood up and pulled my jeans back on followed by my shirt.

Maka left the room and entered the kitchen, "I'm getting a snack," She called over her shoulder, "Call Liz!"

"Right," I responded, picking my phone up off of the charger. I scrolled through the contacts and stopped at Liz's name. I hit the call button and held the phone up to my ear.

It range twice before I heard a reply on the other end, "Hello?"

"Hey," I smiled as I walked into the kitchen and felt through the bowl for the car keys, "Liz, it's Soul."

"Soul?" I heard a noise, like she had plopped her face into her pillow, "What is it? I was asleep," her muffled voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Sorry to interrupt your sleep, but I think I have some news that you'll like."

"Just spit it out," She groaned, "I'm really tired."

"Shinigami-Sama sent Saki, Shay, Sienna, Taka, Stein, and Sanguine to go and get Lori," I said, finally finding the keys as Maka motioned me towards the door.

"Lori?" she asked, her voice suddenly perking up, "As in _my daughter _Lori?"

"Yeah, as in your daughter Lori," I said with a smirk as Maka climbed into the passenger side seat of our white Lexus.

"THAT'S WONDERFUL!" She shouted, nearly blowing up my eardrum.

"Ow," I groaned, holding the phone away from me, "Maka," I held the phone towards her, "Phone."

She let loose a small laugh before taking the phone and picking up the conversation with Liz.. I rested one of my hands on my left temple. I had a headache coming on fast. Maka smiled and hung up the phone.

"Liz said that she's on her way to the school right now," she said with a smile. And then she looked over at me, "Soul?" her slim hand sat on my arm rubbing her hand on it soothingly, "Is something wrong?"

"My head just hurts a little," I sighed moving my hand from my temple to rest atop her hand, our wedding bands brushing against one another, "That's all."

"Soul," She let out a sigh, "You've been having quite a few headaches lately. Could it be something to do with the black blood?" In truth, the black blood that had entered my body way back when was still inside me. Stein and Ryuka could never figure out a way to get it out of me. The demon in my head was gone, but sometimes, I just never really felt right.

"I'm not really sure," I belt my neck begin to stiffen as we pulled into the DWMA's parking lot, "Maybe I just haven't been sleeping enough lately." The two of us got out of the car and approached the entrance to the school.

"Soul?"

I loosened my grip on her hand and spun to face her. She looked at me, her emerald eyes sparkling in the moonlight. I wrapped my arms around her immediately, pulling her body up against mine. She braced her arms around my neck, resting her face within my shoulder. I brought one hand around and rested it on her protruding stomach, feeling the baby beneath my fingers. I felt a small sob shake through Maka's body as she held onto me. _It's just the hormones, _I thought to myself, _she's pregnant and she's having mood swings. You've gone through this before. _I felt myself kiss the top of he head, running my hand that wasn't on her stomach through her mousy brown locks.

"I love you," I whispered into her hair, keeping her body close to mine. I felt her nod against my shoulder, her thin fingers playing with my fluffy white hair.

"I know," her muffled voice said against my shoulder. She pulled away and looked into my eyes. I reached up and brushed her tears away with my fingers, "I love you too," She whispered, continuing to weave her fingers into my hair. We stayed like that for a few moments before she took my hand and the two of us walked up into the school.

Lori's POV

"Here," Sanguine said, tossing the black cylinder to the Shinigami in the room, "These are all the Kishin souls from Hari village."

The Shinigami caught the cylinder in his hand, "And the Witch's soul?"

"Well," Stein pushed me forward, "You're going to have to ask this one about that."

The Shinigami stiffened, his eyes going wide. I smirked and placed a hand on my hip. "L-Lori." He stuttered, still gawking at me.

"Hey," I stepped forward, "What goes on?"

"But, you-" his voice was cut off as the door to the Death Room flew open. Everyone's heads turned. A brunette woman stood there. Her blue eyes tired, but wide as she looked at me. Her tan face all to familiar.

"Lori," she said, stepping closer.

"Hey, Mom," I said, smirking as I looked at her. All of the kids in the room jaws dropped. Oh yeah, they didn't know that I was Liz Thompson's daughter. Probably because I took my father's last name.

"Lori!" She cried before binding me into a hug. All of the air that had been in my lungs flew out in a sudden 'whoosh' as she embraced me.

"Mom!" I gasped, trying to push her off, "I can't BREATHE!"

She eventually let me go. I bent forward pressing my hands on my knees, gasping for breath. After a few moments I straightened back up.

"What?" Shay asked stepping closer to me, "You're Liz's _daughter?" _he asked

"Well yeah," I said turning and looking at him, "Is it that Important?"

"Kinda!" He insisted, stepping closer, "Why would someone like you become The Witch Hunter?"

"Because witches are the reason the my father is dead!" I shouted in response, making him back off, "I never even got to meet him. He was killed by the witch Medusa before I was even born. He didn't even know that she was pregnant with me," I said, my fist clenching, "Ever since three years ago, I made it my personal mission to take down as many witches as I could."

"But you're a _weapon!_" Sienna insisted stepping forward, "It isn't your job to-"

"Do you think I care?" I shouted back, her brows slanted down, "you could _never _understand. You have both of you're parents! You're lucky! You don't know what it's like," I snarled, "I've been able to handle myself with nineteen different witches over the past three years and I've been just fine! I can take care of myself!" She looked at me with concerned eyes. I felt my eyes pierce like daggers around the room, "I'm leaving," I hissed, walking towards the door, "I'll stay in town for a month. But unless I find reason to stay longer than that, I'm leaving."

I pushed my way out the door. It only took me a few seconds to brush past Maka and Soul, who tried to stop me but failed. I kicked open the front door to the school and hoped onto my silver motorcycle. I sent the bike surging forward and zoomed through the streets. I already knew where I was headed. After a few moments I pulled into the parking lot of _Beds and Bones _. I parked my bike in front of the building and walked up into the lobby.

"I'd like a room please," I said to the man at the counter.

He looked up from his paperback novel and met my eyes, "Do you have any money, kid?"

"The name's Lori," I said, my eyes narrowing and brows slanting down, "And I have enough," I said, setting forty dollars on the counter.

"That's enough for two nights," he said, staring at my exposed stomach, "How long do you plan to stay?"

"A month," I said, Standing up and crossing my arms, "That's a down payment. I'll pay as I go."

"Alright, missy," he said, tossing me a key as he continued to eye me, "Room 13."

"Thanks," I said, taking the key and walking towards the door. I could still feel the man's eyes on me. I stopped cold, "Is there something you want to say?" I spun on my heel and slammed my hands down on the counter, "Or are you just going to keep staring at me?" I felt my pointer finger transform into the blade of a dagger. I pressed the blade lightly to his throat.

"My apologies," He said, flinching against the blade, "I'll try to refrain from staring from now on."

"Good," I said with a smile, "I'm going to bed now," My finger transformed back into it's usual state, "Good night."

I turned and walked back out the door, scanning the doors for my room.

A/N: All Done! I got finished with the chapter faster this time! This was more of an action chapter then what I usually write, so I need to know what you thought of it AND what you think of Lori. I love her personally. She doesn't take shit from anybody and knows what she wants. So…I don't know when the next chapter will be up…mainly because I need to decide what happens in it. I'll try to get it done soon though! Thank you to every one who reads. I love you guys! ^^ Well, SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	6. Damage

Chapter 6: Damage

Ryuka's POV

"Okay, Inhale," I sighed sliding my stethoscope across Soul's bare back. He took a breath in, his muscles flexing through his torso, "Exhale," he let out his breath and continued to sit down on the stool silently. His red eyes continued to trace invisible patterns on the floor, his white hair falling over his forehead and down the back of his neck. I felt my brows slant down before he turned back around on the stool to face me.

"Well?" He asked, pulling his shirt up over his head, "Do you know what's wrong with me?"

I shook my head back and forth once, "Everything seems normally internally. Your blood tests are good. Nothing is showing up on the X-Rays Stein took," I met his crimson eyes, "So, nothing is physically wrong with you, Soul. What makes you think that there is something?"

The Death Scythe scratched the back of his head, "Maka says that I've been acting kind of off lately. I've been having trouble falling asleep and I keep getting these insane headaches."

"Are you stressed?" I asked, leaning forward slightly in my chair.

_Could the Madness be creeping up into his mind? It's not like he didn't have it before, and I don't know how the Black Blood within his body could have an effect on that. Or maybe it has nothing to do with the Black Blood at all. Maybe the rising Kishin population is causing it. I mean, I think everyone has noticed by now that things in Death City are changing. The Madness is starting to come back up._

"I'm always stressed, Ryuka," He sighed, tugging at the hem of his shirt, "You know that."

"I mean more stressed than usual," I sat a hand on his knee.

"Maybe," he sighed, "I mean, Maka's pregnant, and the hormones are hitting her harder than they did with Saki. It's so hot outside. Death is sending me to investigate on what seems like a billion different missions a year. And I think he gave me insomnia. Wait," he looked up at me, "Is insomnia contagious?"

I laughed and shook my head, "No, insomnia is _definitely not_ contagious. If it were, I would have it. Lacking the ability to sleep doesn't mean that you have insomnia. It can be a side affect of too much stress."

"Well, what do you suggest I do, Doc?"

"I'm going to talk to Kid to see if he can give you a little time off. I want you to just do something to relax and catch up on your sleep and such."

"Sure thing," he sighed, standing up out of the chair, "Thanks, Ryuka."

"It's my job," I said with a smile before he walked out the door. I held still composure for a few moments before I felt my head hang down.

_Madness. Madness. Madness._

"No," The word escaped from me in just a whisper. I put my hands on the sides of my head, trying to stop the pounding, "Don't."

_Madness. Kishin. Revenge. Madness. Madness._

I felt my teeth grind together as I clutched the sides of my head tighter. But the voice only got louder.

_Madness. Blood. Revenge. Madness. Kishin. Madness. Blood. Blood. Madness._

"STOP IT!" I screamed. I fell onto the floor, curling up in a ball. My hands continued to grip the sides of my head. I felt the trembling begin to start. Tears pooled at the corners of my eyes. I felt my eyelids screw shut as my body continued to shake.

"Hey, Ryuka," My body went still the second I felt his hand on my shoulder. My eyes snapped open, tears still hung onto the brims of my eyes, "Why are you down here on the ground?"

I ran my fingertips over Kid's hand and sat up, but not to where I was facing him. I felt tears trickle over my face. The madness hadn't ever affected me like this before, not this violently. It only hit when I was alone, and it was interfering with my work. I wiped the tears from my eyes, "It's okay," I looked over at him, "I think I just fainted. I've been feeling kind of sick lately."

He looked at me with concerned golden eyes, "Do you need Stein to give you a check up?" he asked, "I hope it isn't anything to serious."

"It isn't," I said before looking down, "I've just been a little stressed lately, that's all."

"Well," He pressed his lips to my forehead before standing and pulling me up beside him, "I still think it might be a good idea for you to be checked up on, just in case," he said, hugging me.

"I'll give it a few days," I smiled, "And if I still feel bad, then I'll have Dad check on me. Okay?"

"I guess that'll be okay," he sighed into my hair, before his fingers locked through my own. I felt his tongue run over my ear lobe, "So, do you want to go do something?"

"Sure," I sighed, running a frustrated hand through my hair, "What do you want to do?"

"We could go get some coffee," he suggested, adjusting his coat collar, "I could use some caffeine right now."

"Coffee sounds," I felt my half smile glide onto my face, "Very Nice."

Taka's POV

I walked through the silent streets of Death City, feeling the sun set on my face. I had finally managed to get another job. Of course, it was a job that I probably shouldn't have, but a job is a job. My mom had found out that the bar down the street from where she works had an opening for a Bartender. She didn't really like that idea, but it paid good and it wasn't hard to get them to hire me. I would work the night shift on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. That way I could get an alternate job and not be at a bar too much. I had been told that there was another bartender that worked on Wednesdays and Saturdays, so at least I might have someone to talk to. I turned a corner and stood outside _The Cliff Note ._ It's purple neon sign glowed brightly in the already darkening streets of the town. The Bar had opened a few years back, and now it was almost always busy.

I smirked and adjusted my black jacket before walking in the front door. There was a thin smoke haze that drifted through the air. The black floor was swept somewhat clean. The deep purple walls we covered in music posters, black and white photographs, and drawings done directly on the walls with bright oils, "Wow," I breathed, looking around the bar. The swirling designs seemed to pop out against their dark background. I hung walked to the manager's door and knocked. The second my knuckles hit the door the second time, the door flew open, and a man in a purple pinstripe suit pushed past me.

"I swear, Mastsune, you're just crazy and stubborn!" The man called, brown hair sticking up under his hat, "I'll get this place some day and turn it into a nice parking lot!"

"Yeah," Mr. Mastsune called from his desk, "When I'm dead!" The old man sat back in his chair and looked at me standing in the doorway, "Ah! Taka, my boy, nice to see you! Just on time."

"Yes Sir," I said, taking a step into the office.

"Now, Lad, there ain't no need to be formal with me," he said, lighting a cigarette between his teeth, "Call me Ethan."

"Um, okay, Ethan, where did you want me to start?" I asked, pulling my hair from my eyes.

"Just tend the bar, lad, that's all," the old man said with a smile.

"Yes Sir."

"Ethan," he corrected.

"Ethan," I smiled before exiting his office and made my way through the bar before sliding myself behind the counter. A girl, the other Bartender, stood at the other end, her head sort of nodding. I stepped around, and then my eyes widened, "Lori?" I asked. She held up her finger signaling for me to wait a moment. She continued to move something around in her mouth, "What are you doing?"

She reached into her mouth and pulled a cherry stem out, a knot tied in it's center, "Tying a cherry stem in a knot," she said before dropping it down into a glass filled with rum and a cherry.

"Why?" I asked as she pushed the drink towards the man in front of her.

"Because it's my special drink," She said as the man she slid it to began to taste it, "And the knot is part of it."

"That's a bit," I paused, trying to find the word, "Unsanitary."

"The guys love it," she said with a smile, "I didn't expect for you to turn up here, kiddo," she messed her fingers through my hair.

"I work here now," I sighed as I made an effort to fix my hair, "I needed a job."

"You know, you should bartend for the girls," she said with a smile, "They'd eat you up."

"Why does everyone try to get me to work as a service for women?" I asked, my brows beginning to slant down.

"Because in a way, you're sort of," she smiled and fixed the last remaining strand of my hair, setting it into place, "Beautiful."

A smirk crept up onto my face, "Lori, are you flirting with me?"

A thin blush flicked onto her face, "N-No," she stammered, backing away from me, "You just are. I'm sure you've been told that.'

"I have enough times, more than enough," I sighed, looking down, but the smirk still remained on my face "So if you aren't flirting, why'd you blush? Do you have a crush on me or something?"

She spun me around and pinned me to the wall. Her finger transformed into a delicately deadly silver blade as she pressed it to my throat, "Listen to me and listen well, Taka Nakatsukasa," her voice had been lowered to a whisper, "I don't want to make an enemy out of you. I really like you, but if you keep pursuing me this way, I'm afraid that an enemy is what I may become," I nodded my head, "I do like you, Taka," she leaned in until her face was inches from mine, "In a way that I shouldn't like another human being, but if you dare repeat the information I just told you, you very well may wake up the next morning underwater or with a slit in your throat. Are we clear?"

A thick blush coated my face as I nodded. She smiled and pulled away retracting her blade along with her. Girls had like me before, but they were never so cold about it like that before. She acted like a flame that had been frozen in ice. Icy, but passionate about it. The weird thing was, I kinda liked that. She wasn't at all girly, or flirty, of mushy, or anything like that.

"Well, come on then, Taka," Lori called over her shoulder as she began fixing another drink. I swallowed the lump in my throat before nodding. Work was about to get really awkward.

Shay's POV

I lie down on my back in my bed, unable to sleep, unable to think. I was just lying there, staring at the splatters of white, red, and silver paint on my walls. Silver lay curled up on a sleeping bag on the floor next to my bed. She had her own room, but lately, we'd been spending all the time we could get together. We even fell asleep talking to each other. I loved my older sister so much. She was the greatest.

I heard a light flick on and some gagging noise come from the bathroom across the hall. What the?

"Mom's vomiting again," Silver sighed, her voice a low whisper as she curled tighter into he ball in the sleeping bag.

"Is she really?" I asked, "How can she be so sick?"

Silver sat up and shrugged, "I'm not sure. She hasn't been this sick since Grey died." She stood up and pressed her finger to her lips before crossing over to the door. I stood when she motioned for me to follow. She opened the door just a crack, allowing a thin beam of yellow light trace across the room. She got down on her knees and peeked out while I peered out over her head.

"Ryuka, that's the third time tonight," My father stood behind her, setting a pair of reassuring hands on her shoulders, "You really should go see a doctor." My mother coughed, shaking her head in the process. I saw a red liquid pour from her throat as she vomited again.

"I-" she coughed before standing up, "I'm fine," she flushed the toilet and crossed over to the sink, "I don't need to go to the doctor," she clutched to the sides of the sink to keep from falling over. Sweat was soaking her nightgown and running down he neck and forehead.

"Ryuka," My father sat his hands on her shoulder, holding her steady, "Please stop being stubborn at let me take you over to Stein's place, or the hospital, or something. This is ridiculous. You're so sick you can't even stand up on your own." His eyebrows knit together as he went to pick her up, but she shoved him away.

"I can walk on my own, Kid," she wearily staggered back towards their bedroom, "I'm fine."

I pulled away form the door as Silver shut it before meeting my eyes, "She's been like that for almost a week now," the timber wolf haired girl whispered, "What could possibly be wrong with her?"

"I don't know," I sighed, sinking back into my mattress, "But it's really starting to scare me. I hope it goes away before the true damage is done."

A/N: I am sooooo sorry if that chapter sucked really bad! And I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in so long! I got super busy and school stated and NO! NO EXCUSES! I wasn't trying hard enough! I'm going to start trying as hard as I can to work on my story better…Anyway, can you please review for me? I might be able to work harder with some motivation! I love all you guys! You're the BEST! The next chapter will be out as soon as I can get it done! SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	7. Diseased

Chapter 7: Diseased

Ryuka's POV

My head pounded as I lay in mine and Kid's bed. The sweat soaked sheets were in a tangle around my pale body. I had stripped down to my black sports bra and a pair of short black shorts. And even those clung to my sweaty skin. Kid lay asleep on the loveseat pushed against the wall. An afghan thrown over his legs, his chest peacefully rising and falling as he slept. At least he was finally sleeping.

I sucked in a sharp breath, arching my back as a jolt of pain exploded through the core of my body. Tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes. _Madness. Blood. Madness. Revenge. Madness. Fear. _My eyes shot open, tears shooting through the air. A scream erupted from my chest, filling the air.

"Ryuka!" Kid sprang up, pulling my trembling body into his arms, "Ryuka, What is it?"

"_But, Daddy_,_"_ _I looked from my father to the scalpel in his hand. He had that scary, crazed look in his eyes. That gruesomely mad smile on his face. I backed into the white wall of his laboratory, trying to escape, but I was the cornered mouse. And the cat was closing in on it's prey. There was no way out. No way out, "I don't understand. What are you doing?"_

"_Must," he staggered forward, the gruesome smile on his face growing even more grotesque, eyes edging in insanity, "Dissect."_

"_Daddy!" I screamed as he pinned my up against the wall. I'm scared. I felt the stinging cold blade begin to hack harshly into my midsection. It hurts…It hurts…I don't think that I've ever been so…afraid…before now…_

"Please!" I sobbed, pulling away from my husband, trying to wrench out of his grasp, "Please! No!" I screamed.

"R-Ryuka?" He questioned, pulling away, "What's wrong?"

"I-I-I'm s-scared," I cried, curling up into a ball, hugging my knees to my chest. A sob racked from my body, tears pouring from my eyes.

"Ryuka," he reached to touch me, but I smacked his hand away, the slap echoing throughout the room.

"Don't touch me!" I cried out, feeling a sickening turn in my stomach, "D-Don't…"my head spun violently before I fell forward, landing in Kid's arms, "Ung…" "Ryuka," I felt him scoop me up into his arms, "I'm taking you over to Stein's house _right now_."

"N-No," I weakly tried to squirm from his grasp, "I-I-I'm fine."

"Ryuka," he tightened his grip around me to keep me from escaping, "You are obviously not fine. You need to see Stein, _now._"

"But-"

"No, buts. We're going now."

He opened the door to our bedroom and headed out, walking down the hall as he still held me. I leaned my head into his chest and curled close. He knocked on Shay's door and within moments, Silver pulled it open, "Sil, I have to take your mom to Stein's house. I don't know when we'll be back, so you're in charge, okay?" My oldest daughter nodded her head in agreement before Kid turned towards the stairs and began to carry me down.

Steins' POV

"Mmm," I moaned, feeling her run her hands down my bare chest again, "San…"

"Yes?" she asked sarcastically, making small circular motions along my torso.

"That feels so nice…" I sighed, loving this sensation that she gave me. Loving this high I got when she was around. This was my rush. My drug.

Then my high was interrupted my the sound of our ringing doorbell, followed by knocks on the door. I looked at San before sitting up in bed, "I'll be back in just a moment." A smirk danced across my wife's face before she nodded. I slowly trudged out of bed, not caring to put a shirt on, and headed towards the door in just my grey-stitched pajama bottoms. I unlocked the door and opened it. Sure enough, there stood my son-in-law, but there was something wrong with the picture of him standing there. He held Ryuka in his arms. She was in an unconscious, sweaty state, wearing only her black sports bra and short shorts with Kid's coat wrapped over her shoulders.

"Lord Death?" I asked, eyebrows raised as I looked form Ryuka to him, "What's going on?"

"Stein," Kid looked as if he were about to have a mental breakdown, "I need your help," he tightened his grip on my daughter, pulling her closer to him, "Because I don't know what else to do."

I nodded, understanding what he meant before leading him into the house and into Ryuka's old bedroom. He followed and sat her down on the bed with ease, but not releasing her cold, pale hand in both of his.

"What are her symptoms?" I asked, looking at her now shivering body on the bed as she clung to Kid's coat with her free hand.

It took him a few moments before he gave me an answer, "She's delusional. She's running really high fevers. She's vomiting every five hours at the least, and if there's no food in her stomach, then blood and bile come up. She's pumped full of pain medication for her head that she says won't stop throbbing. She's stopped eating and sleeping since about four days ago, and it's a miracle I can get water into her system. She gets extreme chills. And she's been collapsing and losing consciousness quite a bit."

I arched a suspicious eyebrow at my son-in-law, "And she didn't see a doctor sooner because?"

"She's so freaking stubborn," he said in a monotone, "And she wouldn't let me bring her."

"Well, she got that from her mother…" I sighed, picking up her slim wrist to check her pulse, "Obviously…"

"Hey," he curled his fingers tightly around Ryuka's other palm, "Stein?"

"Yeah?" I asked, laying her wrist over her stomach.

"I need you to tell me something," I felt my eyes go a little wider as the next words slipped off of his tongue, "I need you to tell me what happened on the night when she got those stitches."

Taka's POV

"Hey, Nakatsukasa!" I heard Lori call from behind me as we both exited the bar, "You wanna come over to my place? We can just hang out for a little while."

"Lori," I sighed, "I have to get home. And besides it's getting kind of late."

"Oh, come on!" She groaned, "Live a little! It's just for an hour or two."

"Well," I chewed my lower lip, "I'm not really sure, but I suppose-" I was cut off my the roar of an engine. I looked over my shoulder to see Lori straddling herself over the seat of her silver and black Harley Davidson. A black helmet resting upon her head, as she looked at me. Her short shorts had ridden up, revealing even more of her luscious tan legs. A playful smirk shown seductively on her lips.

"You wanna ride?" She asked, Sliding forward on the bike in a teasing manor. I watched her with hungry eyes. _Stop it…_I thought before smiling at her.

"Okay," I stepped forward, pouncing on the invitation, "Sure."

"Here," she pressed a black helmet into my hands, "You can wear my spare."

I looked at the glossy black helmet in my hands. Not even so much as a skid mark scratched the surface of it, "Thanks." It fit pretty well, considering that it was hers. I climbed up onto the bike behind her and slid forward, "Um, Lori?" I asked, wondering if touching her was exactly a good idea.

"It's fine," she sighed as if reading my mind, a thin blush flaring into her face. I slid in a little closer and wrapped my arms around her waist. Her skin was hot to the touch, and silky beneath my fingertips. I could see her blush deepen from where I sat.

"Is this okay?" I asked in a low whisper. She only nodded her head before pulling out of the nearly empty parking lot. We sped through the quiet streets, wind flowing through the holes in my helmet and blowing my jacket back. It felt good. It felt amazing to be specific. I loved the thrill that coursed through me as we sped forward until she pulled into the parking lot of _Beds and Bones _and came to a screeching stop.

She got up off the bike and pulled off her helmet. I quickly did the same. She then led be up a set of stairs and into a hotel room that I assumed was hers, "Welcome to paradise, kid. You want some coffee?"

"No thanks," I sighed, sitting down on the hard couch pushed up against one wall, "I don't drink coffee all that much."

"Well alright then. Your loss. I do make some pretty good coffee though. You sure you don't want some?" She insisted, turning on some hot water.

"I bet you do, but I don't want any right now," I gave her a polite smile, "It's a little to late for coffee right now anyways." "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of! It's never to late or early for coffee! Now take it." She said shoving the coffee mug in my face.

My eyebrows knit together as I attempted to push the mug away "I said-" "Drink." She said sternly, pushing the mug back into my face.

"Um, okay then..." I said, hesitantly grasping the coffee cup in my hands. She held a mug of her own in her hands as she flopped down on the couch beside me. I starred into the swirling pool of dark liquid in my cup. I was telling the truth when I said I wasn't much of a coffee drinker. I hardly ever drank my mother's brew at home.

"Nakatsukasa, I swear!" Lori sighed from beside me, "My coffee is not that bad!"

"I really don't want any…" I sat the cup on the table beside me, "besides…it's not like you can force me to drink-" I was interrupted as she straddled herself over my lap, pressing her lower body to my waistline.

"Come on now," she picked up the mug and pressed it to my mouth, "say 'ah'."

I hesitantly opened my mouth, allowing the black liquid to slide down my throat, ignoring it's bitter taste. I sensation rolled through me that I didn't quite understand. A sensation of warmth, and pleasure, all rolled together. Why was she doing this? Why was she assaulting my brain with this sexual tease she was forcing upon me? And why was I on the verge of begging for more?

"There we go," her words soothed into my ears as I finished off the cup and she placed it back in it's original place on the table. She sat her hands on my shoulders, rolling circles with her palms in my shoulders, "You're so tense, Taka," she purred, continuing to massage my upper arms, "Why is that?"

"Work," I felt my neck roll and a moan escape my lips, "Home, school," I felt my hands come to rest on her tan legs, "I'm just stressed in general, I suppose." I made small circled on her inner thighs with my thumbs as she continued to work magic into my muscles.

A smirk lit her features as she stopped rubbing my shoulders and tilted my head up so my eyes became locked on hers. Blue looking into even deeper blue, "Your life seems very busy, Taka-Kun," she gently took her free hand and stroked it down my chest, "Would you mind telling me more?"

"I'm actually," I shifted, removing her hand from the underside of my chin. I pushed on her thighs, pushing her away, but not before she slid teasingly down my lower body, making me shiver, "Very interested in you, Lori. Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

"Oh," she slid off of my lap, "There really isn't much to tell," she pulled off her black leather jacket and allowed it to drop to the floor, "I grew up here in Death City until I was about sixteen, and then I left to hunt witches. That's about all. The End." She flopped down on the bed and roller onto her stomach, looking right at me."

"But, why?" I asked, "Why would you take on such a dangerous job when it's a duty assigned strictly to meisters?"

"Because it's all I can do to be close to my father," she sighed, a tiny tear rolling down her cheek.

I felt my eyes widen, "What happened to your father, Lori?"

She looked up at me, tucking a silver strand of her hair behind her ear, "He was killed by a witch before he even knew that my mother was pregnant with me," Lori began clenching and unclenching her fists, "I never even got to meet him."

I reached out and touched her arm, making an effort to comfort her. She sat her hand over mine, making tiny circles on the surface on my skin, "My father left my mother before I was born," I said, in an attempt to comfort her further, "He wants nothing to do with me."

"I'm sorry," she looked up at me and gave me a forced looking smile, "I suppose we're in the same boat then."

I smiled back, "Yes, I suppose so."

Lori brushed my hand off and stood, stretching. I couldn't help watch herself unwind. Her muscles flexing beneath her tan skin and navy blue tank top. I couldn't help but notice the markings on her right shoulder blade, "Hey, Lori? Is that a tattoo?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah," she smiled, "I got it when I turned fifteen." She sat down beside me and pushed her hair aside and tugged her shirt down so that I could see. It was an elaborate, winged cross with a silver ring handing from a chain off of the left post, "It's for my dad," she turned back around to face me, "This necklace belonged to him as well."

"That's…really cool, Lori." I smiled studying the necklace as she held it up for me to see.

A blush flickered onto her face, "Th-Thank you, Taka."

"Well," I stood and offered a wave, "I better get going now. Bye Lori."

"Wait!" she grabbed my jacket sleeve. I stopped and looked at her over my shoulder at her.

"What is it Lor-" I was cut off as she pressed her lips to mine, "Mmm," I moaned as she wrapped her arms around my neck, weaving her fingers up through my hair. I used one of my hands to cradle the side of her face, while pressing the small of her back, holding her to me. She pulled out for half a second before kissing me again. A third. A fourth. A fifth. Lori had me pressed into the wall, her fingers making tantalizing movements through my hair. I took a breath, pulling away from her voluptuous lips, "Lori," I breathed, feeling her continue to play with my hair, "I can't."

"Can you tell me why?" She asked, continuing to fumble with the locks of my hair.

"I just can't," I kissed her forehead, "Not tonight. I just can't do this right now. Not with Sienna, and how worried she is about her mom. I just can't."

"I can respect that," Lori pulled her hands out of my hair, "For now."

I didn't quite understand what she meant by that, but I walked out the door just the same, "Good Night, Taka," she smiled before shutting the door.

"Good Night," I stood, facing the door of room thirteen, "Lori."

A/N: I'm am SOOOOOOOOOOO sorry that this took me absolutely forever to finish! I've been busy with school *sigh* again…I'm working on these chapters really hard and I'm happy when I manage to get one released! Um…I really hope my story isn't getting weirdly confusing…If it is, I NEED YOU READERS TO TELL ME! Review! PM me! I listen to and read all of it! ^^ I'll hopefully have the next chapter out soon! I love all of you guys! ^^ SEE YOU ALL IN THENEXT CHAPTER! ^^


	8. Relfections: A Look into the Past

8: Reflections: A Look Into The Past

A/N: Warning…I might have to get a little graphic in the next part…

Stein's POV

I remembered that night so vividly, so thoroughly, that It nearly made me sick. I felt my hand come up and turn the screw in my back several notches, clicks echoing through the room, "Why would you want to know that, Lord-"

"You can just call me Kid right now," he said, his pale fingers still wrapped around Ryuka's even paler ones, "I want to know because I think it has something to do with what's wrong with her."

I shook my head back and forth, "Kid, I'm not sure if-"

"Please," he looked at me with something I had never seen in his eyes before: desperation. The mist of tears clung to the edges of his eyes, "I can't lose her. Not now."

I sighed and lit a cigarette before placing it in between my teeth, "Are you _sure _that you want to know?" He nodded, "Okay, but try not to let it disturb you too much…"

**Twenty Years Ago**

I felt pounding surge through my brain, making my hands tremble.

_Come on Stein, You know you want it. You want to feel blood spill over your hands, _That familiar, blood-lusted over voice echoed through my head.

A sickening grin grew onto my face, my hands coming up to grip the sides of my head, "Stop!" I growled my fingers digging into the sides of my head, causing tiny droplets of blood to trickle down my fingers, "I have someone important coming over today! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

_There's always that pesky little brat that you call a daughter. She's been getting in you hair lately. Why can't we just do away with that? _

I slammed my head back into the wall, my breath coming out in heavy huffs, "Leave her out of this!" I growled, my head thudding to the sickening beat of my heart.

"Papa?" I heard Ryuka's voice call from the top of the stairs of my laboratory, "Papa?" I heard her small ten year old feet patter down the stairs, "Momma just called! She's at the airport right now! Come on, Papa!" she smiled at me and stepped closer, "Let's go get her!"

"Ryuka-" My voice sounded like I was being strangled as I reached a trembling arm towards her, "Please…Don't…" My breath was coming out in uneven pants, "Don't come any closer…"

"Papa?" She dashed until she was before me, on her knees, holding onto my wrists, "Papa! What is it?"

That was when I lost all control. I grabbed her wrist and swung her off of me, slamming her body into the wall. She let out half of a combined scream and gasp as her body collided with the wall. She crumpled and fell to the floor, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. I staggered up across the lab and towards the nearest work table, knowing what I was searching for.

"Please…" she shuddered as she managed to stand up, her body trembling in either pain of fear, but I really couldn't tell, "Daddy, please…Don't do this!"

"Shut Up!" I growled, slapping her while I held the scalpel in my hand, creating a bruise and a cut in her cheek at the same time.

That was when the tears began to slide down her face as her trembling hand came up to her already swelling cheek. She backed up against the wall, her olive-gold eyes wide in fear, "But Daddy," her lower lip trembled as tears began to flow relentlessly down her face, "I don't understand. What are you doing?"

I staggered forward, my grip on the scalpel in my hand, "Must…Dissect!" I pinned her trembling body to the wall. I began to lift up her shirt up over her dress up over her head, leaving her in just her under shirt and panties. I rolled up the hem of her undershirt and began to make marks with my marker across her snowy skin.

"Daddy!" she screamed as I began to hack the scalpel into her body. Her blood pouring in a thick and sticky wash over my hands.

Saki's POV

My white hair strung over my forehead, leaving the feeling that something was crawling across my face. I knew that it was well past two in the morning, but the problem was that I couldn't sleep. The apartment was eerily quiet as I sat up in my bed, getting the feeling that something was wrong. I climbed out of bed, feeling a chill roll through me as the nearly freezing air hit my bare legs. I walked past the mirror and into the kitchen, running a hand through my tangled white hair. I felt like I was needing to check on something, but I wasn't quite sure what…I walked into the living room and sank into the old leather couch. I nearly screamed the second I felt and icy cold and wet nose press to my leg, only taking a second to realize that it was Sammy.

"Hey boy," I said, reaching to scratch his head, but her shied a whimper coming from him, "What's the matter, Sam?" I asked, coming down onto my knees and reaching my arms out to him, but he took a few more steps back. And that's when I heard it. My phone was buzzing across the coffee table. That made sense now, Sammy had never really liked my phone. I picked it up and flipped it open. It was a text from Shay

**911**

I sprang up from the table and grabbed my jacket and a piece of paper, scratching down a note for my parents. I threw my phone into my pocket and grabbed my keys before pulling on my shoes. I dashed to the door, still in my pajamas, and looked back at my dog as I undid the lock, "I'll be back soon, boy. Watch Mom and Dad." I burst out the door and took off down the stairs and out onto the street. I looked at my watch. 2 in the morning. I dug out my phone and pressed the first speed dial. It picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Shay! What's wrong?"

"Saki!" His voice sounded relieved, "Oh thank God!"

"What's wrong?" I repeated, my heart getting heavier with each slap of my foot to the ground.

"My Mom and Dad just left, because my Mom was really sick. And now, there's something in the house," his voice cracked on the last few words.

I felt my heart turn to stone in my chest, "Something in the house?" I asked, my voice failing to conceal my alarm.

"Yeah. Silver, Sienna, and I are all in my room, but I think it's downstairs, so you should climb up to my room, okay?" I could hear shuffling in the background as he moved around the room.

"Yeah," I was running faster, despite my running out of breath, "What about Taka?"

"He's on his way here," Shay's breathing became uneven, "Just hurry, okay?"

"Yeah," I clicked my phone shut and propelled down the street. His house wasn't too far, but nerves were eating at me. What would ever want to break into Lord Death's house? I turned down the winding path that led to the front door and skated around the perimeter of the house. I found the winding cobblestone that mad up the side wall beneath Shay's window. I found my footing and began to climb up.

Death the Kid's POV

I felt my eyes widen as he kept his eyes on the floor.

"I'll spare you the details of all the gore that occurred after that," Steins head hung down in my palms as he sat in his rolling chair, "But Sanguine found us about an hour later. At first, she was mad because we hadn't come to pick her up, but that was until she made it down into the basement. She told me that she almost vomited because of how strong the smell of all the blood was. She said that it took us two hours to get Ryuka all stitched back together and get her breathing properly," Stein shuttered, "She went to live with Sanguine for two years after that, but when she came back, she wasn't herself anymore. She became a lot more stubborn. A lot harder with me."

"I can see why," I looked down and clasped my wife's hand between my own, "It makes sense now, at least…it does a little…"

Stein raised his eyebrows, "How-"

"She's been having nightmares since she got sick," I locked eyes with Stein, "And she's always wake up screaming, begging for it to stop, saying how afraid she was. What's haunting her is that night. That's why she's so scared. That's why she wouldn't let me bring her to you."

Stein's eyes widened before his gaze dropped back to the floor, " I suppose that does make sense."

The next thing that happened took me by surprise, because I had never expected that it would happen. Stein stood up and took a few steps until he stood directly beside the bed Ryuka lay on. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Ryuka's shivering body, "I'm so sorry, Ryuka," he whispered, stroking her hair with one hand, "I wish I could find some way that I could atone for what I have done to you."

I felt my eyes grow wide. This was the first time I had ever seen Stein show any form of affection to his daughter.

The second Stein pulled away, Ryuka lurched up in bed, panting hard, "The kids!" she cried out. Pulling herself up out of the bed, "The kids are in trouble! We have to go help them! We have to-"

"Ryuka!" I firmly gripped her shoulders, "Ryuka, calm down! The kids are fine!"

Sienna's POV

"Taka!" I cried out, embracing my meister as he came in the window. I could feel my own limbs trembling as I clung to him for support. He wrapped his arms around me in return, lightly running his hand up and down my back.

I heard the crashing come from down stairs. Whatever was down there had been making those noises for the past hour and a half.

"So," Taka pulled away slightly, "What's the plan?"

All of us turned to face Shay. It was strange how even though he hated it, he was supposed to become the next master of Death, and the fact that we already followed him like a leader.

"Well," Shay looked at the door and wrapped his arm around Saki, "Obviously, we're going to have to take out whatever's down there. Obviously Sienna's with Taka, and Saki's with me. Silver, you stay up here. T-" Shay looked at Taka, "Taka why is your face so flushed?"

"N-no reason," Taka stuttered before starring at his feet. I would need to ask him later.

"Ready?" Saki transformed into a scythe in midair and Shay caught her in his hand just as Taka transformed into a short sword in my hand. This was my best form to work with while he was a weapon, but odds were I'd have to change later…Shay locked eyes with me before rushing forward and kicking the door down.

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for staying with me! I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long…I got really busy and stressed and school and yeah…Not to mention the cursed writers block. So please Review! I need to know If I'm doing okay! I hope the story still makes sense…I love all of you guys SO much! SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER ! ^^


	9. Gone

Chapter 9: Gone

Ryuka's POV

Panic arose in my brain as I fought frantically to get out of the bed I was in, "Kid! Let me up! We have to get out of here and help the kids! They're in danger! All of them!"

"Ryuka! _Calm down!_" Kid kept my shoulders pinned down to the bed, "You've got to relax! The kids are just fine!"

"LET ME GO KID!" I screamed again and shoved him off of me. Before he could get his hands holding me down again, I stood and crossed the room, "Daddy! I need you to go get mom! We have to go! We have to-"

"Ryuka." I felt Kid's arms encircle around my waist, "Please just take a breath. Now, how do you know the kids are in trouble?"

"I," I felt myself beginning to fall back asleep at the comfort of his warm arms, "I had a dream," I leaned back into his arms, "And there's something in the house."

That was when it all went black and I collapsed back into Kid's arms.

Shay's POV

My sister and I walked down the hall, clutching our weapons tight within our grip. I could hear the clattering coming from down the hall. Plates being smashed to the floor, Drawers being yanked from their places, silverware flying into walls.

"Where is it, Sasori?" A frantic voice shrieked as another batch of plates crashed to the floor.

"If I knew, Kuriketto, we wouldn't still be here, no would we?" A sharp, menacing voice bit back. Those names could only belong to one creature, and one creature alone. I held out my arm to stop my sister from ramming into me. I turned back to look at her and mouthed the word, 'witches.' Sienna nodded and allowed her eyes to drift on down the line of the hallway and towards the stairs. We continued to proceed forward.

We stopped once we reached the dual set of stairs, our matching sets of golden eyes peering through the shiny black bars holding up the banister. Two women (make that two witches) stood in the kitchen. The first one had short bronze-blonde hair with sharp red eyes and a few thin patches of bronze scales across different places on her golden-tanned skin. The other one had inky black hair with thick streaks of all different shades of brown layering in the undertones. Her beady black eyes shifted at outrageous speeds as she hopped across the room in her tight brown leather outfit, frantically searching for whatever it was the pair was looking for. There was an odd force between the two of them. One was tall and sparkling, the other short, and dark; total and complete opposites.

"Where the hell does that damned Shinigami keep it?" The one that I assumed was called Kuriketto shouted before throwing the carving knife into the wall.

I looked over and mouthed the word 'What?' to Sienna. She looked at me and shrugged. What would witches want from our home? From my father? I felt my hand tighten on Saki's handle.

'_Shay?' _Saki's voice etched into my mind, '_What are witches doing in your house?'_

"I'm not sure," I whispered, adjusting her in my hand, "But we're about to stop them."

I looked over at Sienna and nodded. "Taka," she whispered, looking into her blade, "Smoke Bomb Mode."

"Right," Taka said before transforming into a small bomb in her hand. She rolled the bomb in one fluid motion down onto the first floor where it exploded in a giant puff of smoke. I took Sienna's hand and held Saki tightly in my grip before I leapt over the banister.

Thick smoke filled the air. Sienna held onto me until Taka's hilt was in her palm. I grabbed my sister by the waist and pulled her behind me. She gave me a dirty look, but I just ignored it and kept her behind me. Even if we fought all the time, even if half the time she was on my very last nerve, she was still my sister. I had to protect her at all costs. She was dad's favorite, not me; that was obvious.

I held Saki up in front of me, her black and silver blade shining as the smoke cleared. I could hear the two witches coughing directly in front of me:

"What the hell?" The golden scaly witched shrieked, "Damn it, Kuriketto! You said that the house was empty! That's why we planted that sickness in the Shinigami's wife's drink!"

They were what made my mother so sick? That was when I shot forward. I kicked off of the ground and came down on the golden witch in a screaming rain. I swung at her hard with my scythe. She gave me a fast smirk before she flipped into the air. My scythe collided with the ground, sending shards and splinters of black hardwood flying across the room along with a cloud of dust. Sienna wove out to the side from behind me and made sharp, decisive strokes with her short sword at the witch in slick brown leather, who leapt back in quick movements. The witch in gold perched herself on the chandelier above the sleek dinning room table.

"So you're the famous Shay Cross? The next Grim Reaper?" She smirked, her red eyes glistening, "I have to say I was expecting a bit more." She dropped down beside me and let her eyes explore me. In reality she looked about my age, maybe just a year or so older, "That doesn't mean you aren't hansom though," she ran her fingers up my chest and up my jaw line. I jerked away and held Saki in between me and her.

She just smirked and sat her hand lightly on the blade, causing golden streaks of lightening to dance across black and silver, "My name is Sasori. It's very nice to meet you." She smiled. I felt my golden eyes slip into her red ones; my mind swirling into nothing but a hypnotized blur.

'_Ack! Shay!'_ Saki's voice pulled me out of the hypnosis _'Something is stinging throughout my body!'_

I shook my head back and forth and yanked Saki's blade away from the witch's touch. The flickers of golden lightning stopped and Saki seemed to relax. A delicate frown perched on Sasori's lips, "You poisonous scaly bitch!"

She cocked her head to the side as I spat my venom coated words at her, "I'm a witch," the smirk came back, "What do you expect?" She skittered back a few feet, a red glow forming around her body, "I guess playtime is over now."

Sanguine's POV

I sat in the backseat of the car with Kid and Ryuka while Stein drove. Ryuka's head sat in my lap, her sweaty locks of hair beneath my hands. I ran my fingers through her hair in attempt to relax myself. I felt heavy tensions shaking through me. I was scared. The moment I'd heard that the kids were in danger, I felt my heart freeze. Even if it was for a second, I hated it. I despised the feeling of fear, because it made me feel weak.

"Sanguine," Stein's voice pulled me out of the dark depths of my mind, "I'm going to need you to transform when I stop the car."

"But-"

"Lord Death, you need to stay in the car with Ryuka."

"Stein, I'm responsible for my kid's and anyone else's who are in there. You have to let me-"

"My job is to protect those kids, the same as yours," Stein's voice cut him off, "Therefore my job also includes the protection of you and your family when necessary."

The reaper's brows knit together, "Stein, you are a member of my family."

Stein gritted his teeth together as we turned a sharp corner towards gallows' manor, "That's not what I meant."

Sienna's POV

I leapt back as the dark witch lunged at me. I slashed my short sword at her, but she leapt away before my blade even came close.

'_Damn it' _I felt my teeth grind together as my eyes searched with lightning speed for where she went, _'She's fast.'_

I felt a firm heel snap hard into my back, causing me to fall forward, the wind flying from my lungs.

'_Sienna! Are you all right?' _Taka's voice echoed through my head, concern edging in his words.

"Y-Yeah," I stood feeling the knots forming in my back, "Taka, enchanted sword mode."

'_Are you sure?' _Taka questioned, his deep blue eyes staring up at me in the reflection of the blade, _'I don't want you to get hurt.'_

"I don't care!" I screamed, "Please, just do it!"

'_Okay.'_

Taka transformed into a long, sleek black blade in my hand. Streaks of black static danced down the blade. I felt the thick stripes of black tattooing themselves across my skin. I ran forward at an inhuman speed towards the witch and swung the sword. A long slash ran down the witches body. She let out a piercing scream, sending echoes of it reverberating through my skull. She spun on her foot, sending a kick flying to the side of my head. I flew back several yards, Taka's hilt flying out of my grip. I felt my body collide with the wall, causing whatever scream I had in my lungs to leave me along with all the rest of the air in my body.

I saw the witch racing to get out of the house. I saw large hunks of rubble falling down upon me. But everything went black before I ever felt the impact.

Death the Kid's POV

I pressed my palm to the seat in front of me as we turned another sharp corner. Stein's reckless driving might get us to the house quicker, but it was starting to give me a headache. Ryuka made a small whimpering noise in her place. I sat my hand on her leg in reassurance.

Stein's knuckles where white as he gripped the steering wheel. We were almost to the house. We were coming down the street.

_**BAM!**_

The care rolled at least four times before it skidded to a stop on the side of the road.

"Ung…" I heard Ryuka's moan from somewhere beside me. I managed to un buckle my seat belt and felt through the remains of the car for her limp body. Sure enough my hands came to rest on her. I gently brushed the pieces of splintered metal off of her but didn't move her.

"Ryuka?" I asked in as calm of a voice as I could manage, "Are you alright, Dear?"

"Mhm," she managed, weakly nodding her head, "I'm okay." I sat my hand on the two-inch long gash cutting across her forehead. She gave me a weak smile.

Sanguine undid her seat belt and forced her head so she could see into the front seat, "Stein!" she unbuckled his seatbelt and lightly slapped his face, "You okay, Stitches?"

"Yeah, San," he mumbled, forcing his eyes open to look at her, "Go check the kids."

"But I shouldn't-"

"You and Kid go check the kids," he reconfirmed, lightly jerking his head towards the house. Sanguine looked at me and I nodded.

I leaned down and kissed Ryuka's cheek before I crawled across the mangled seat and followed Sanguine out the door and onto the road. Sanguine leaned onto my shoulder as we walked in an effort to control her limp. The two of us managed to stager towards the house. We were headed up the drive when we heard a sickening crunch followed by a scream.

Shay's POV

_No. No. No. No. No. No. No. DEAR GOD, NO!_

Taka and I dug quickly through the ruble searching for my sister. _Please be alright. Please dear Lord be okay. _Saki ran up the stairs to go get Silver. Hopefully Silver would have at least some medical knowledge.

Sure my sister was a pain in the ass. Sure she and I never really got along. Sure she was totally dad's favorite and not me. But she was still my sister. My twin. My other freaking half. AND SHE COULD NOT DIE ON ME LIKE THIS!

'_Come on Sienna,' _I thought to her through the telepathy I inherited from my mother, _'You have to be alright.'_

'_Shay,' _I heard her voice weakly respond, _'Please…hurry."_

She sounded so weak it wasn't even funny. I pushed away another rock to reveal a strand of her silver hair. Smeared with dirt and caked with sweat. I moved another rock to reveal more and more of her dirty, beautiful hair.

"Taka!" I pushed another rock away, "Taka! Come help me!" Together we pulled away the rocks to reveal Sienna's limp and broken looking body.

"Sienna," I stroked her dirt smeared, bruised cheek lightly with my hand. She weakly opened her eyes.

"Shay?" Her voice sounded broken, tears were streaming down her face, clearing away trails of dirt. I brushed the dirt off of a nasty cut in her forehead. I felt my own tears pouring from my eyes, "It's okay," She strained to reach and cup my face with a shaking hand an wiped the tears away, "You don't have to cry."

Then her eyes slowly closed.

"Sienna?" I cried out, gently shaking her in my arms, "Sienna, come on! Wake up!" She remained still in my arms. "SIENNA!"

Silver's POV

I raced down the stairs, Saki's feet thudding behind me. The second I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw my father staggering towards my brother and sister. My feet guided me towards Sienna's limp body. I knelt down beside her. She looked bad. Her left leg was bent at an odd angle. There were nasty lacerations covering all different parts of her body. And her body was littered with a rainbow of bruises. I gently placed my hand on her neck.

"There's a pulse," I sighed in slight relief, "But it's faint. Where's Stein?"

"Back in the car," Sanguine panted as she leaned against the wall, "He should no what to do."

I nodded and raced out the door and down the street towards the mangled remains of the car. NOTE TO SELF: Ask what the hell happened once everyone is all patched up. I came to a stop and tugged on the drivers side door of the car. But it wouldn't open. I raced around to the other side of the car and fought my way into the already opened door.

"Stein! Mom!" I called out.

No response.

The Car was empty.

A/N: OH MY GOD I FINALLY FREAKING FINISHED! I'm so happy! ^^ It took me forever to write this because I got another writers block and didn't know what to do with this story and…NOW I DO! I know exactly where this is going no as to before where I was just wandering blindly into the dark praying that some day this story would have a direction AND NOW IT DOES! I just really hope that this story isn't confusing or anything like that. AND IF IT IS I NEED TO KNOW. Please please please please PLEASE review! I'm so happy that I get as many review as I do and I would kind of like to keep that going. I have no solid idea when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully it will be VERY VERY soon! ^^ I'm going to work a hell of a lot hard for you guys! SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! ^^


	10. Sleepless

Chapter 10: Sleepless

Shay's POV

I sat down in the chair next to Sienna's hospital bed; her cold, pale hand clasped in both my own. The steady beeping of her heart monitor had become nothing but simple background noise. My hair fell over my forehead, blocking my vision more than usual. Sienna's long silvery hair was fanned out behind her, soft streaks of dirt still hiding in her strands. Her arms and legs had been bandaged to hide all of the fresh scars that coated her body. A few butterfly closures rested on a nasty cut that went across her forehead, just above her brow.

"Shay?" I heard the door click open. It was Silver. She must be back from talking to the doctors.

"What is it?" My voice said in a scratchy, almost inaudible tone. I hardly sounded or looked like myself. I hadn't really slept or ate since the attack a week ago.

"I just spoke with the doctors," She sat down next to me, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand, "They said that she has mild brain damage, nothing permanent. And she lost quite a bit of blood, but now that they have all of it siphoned back into her, she shouldn't suffer from blood loss."

"But when is she going to wake up?" I clutched her hand even tighter, "Did they say anything about that?"

"I'm sorry, Shay, but-" she sat a gentle hand on my shoulder, "But they said she may never wake up, and if she does, there's seldom chance she'll ever be the same again."

My body shook with a broken sob, but no tears could come; they had all dispersed over the past week, "Wh-Where is my father?" I asked, still clutching Sienna's frail hand.

"He left about an hour ago," she crossed her ankles as her feet fidgeted, "He said her had some work to get to."

"Dammit," I felt my teeth grind together, sending a screaming through my skull. I loosened my grip on Sienna's hand. I stood up, staggering as my head began to spin. Silver caught me as I pressed my hand to the wall to keep from falling over.

"Shay!" She helped me sit back down in the chair, "You aren't going anywhere until you eat something and get some sleep."

"I'm fine," I insisted, attempting to fight out of her grasp, "I just-"

"Please, Shay," She held my with one arm and stroked my hair, "Just sleep."

It was nearly half a second before my eyes slipped closed and I slumped against my older sister's shoulder.

Ryuka's POV

"Mmm," I stretched my arms up behind me and sat up in…bed? Where was I? I looked around the unfamiliar room. Simple, beige walls, a queen size bed with soft, white cotton sheets, and a window with thin, white curtains. This room held no familiarity, but it felt strangely…comforting. I slid my feet onto the floor, the beige carpet tickling my feet. I stood, feeling the warm air dance across my skin. I crossed the room and looked at my reflection in the door mirror on the closet. My hair was cut in short, soft waves that cut off just a little past her shoulders with the tips of my hair still shining silver like normal. I wore a short silver chain with a heart on it around my neck; no choker with a white gold charm. My knee length gray robe contrasted with my pale skin. I looked down at my left hand. A ring? I looked closer. A delicate gold band with a single rounded shining diamond in the center. This wasn't my wedding ring.

"Morning, Ryuka," I felt a pair of warm arms wrap around my waist and a delicate kiss glide over my neck. I looked in the mirror to see and image that was tugging on tears in my eyes. His grey hair still framed his face nearly perfectly. His deep black eyes were half closed as he pressed close to me.

"Grey," I said in a soft exhale as I began to melt in his arms. I felt a few tears slip down my cheeks. He turned me around to face him, pressing me to his muscled, t-shirt covered chest. I looked up into his eyes, feeling as if I was getting lost in their deep black depths.

"What is it, Honey?" he asked, wiping the tears with his thumbs.

"I just-" I reached up and touched his hand with mine, "I just missed you, that's all."

"Your so cute," he smiled before pressing his lips to mine. Fresh tears spilt down my face. He was here. He was with me. And I was in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. We eventually parted, staring deeply into each others eyes.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear, "You seem a little different."

"I feel like I woke up from a dream," I ran my hands up into his chest, making sure he was real, "Just a dream."

"Hey, Mommy?" I felt a tug on the bottom of my robe. I looked down to see a nine year old boy with short silver hair and large olive-gold eyes looking up at me, "you have to drive me to school, remember?"

I bent down to his height, "Of course sweetie," I said with a smile on my face, despite the fact that I had no idea who this child was.

"Liam!" Grey called as the boy bounded out of the room, "Don't forget to brush your teeth!" I laughed as the boy disappeared down the hallway, a huge grin on his face, "Can you go wake up Lena?" Grey asked, "I have to go catch that little rascal."

"Okay," I smiled, "Sure." I laughed as Grey took off down the hall, chasing the little boy. I stepped out of the room and looked out of each of the doors and picked one that seemed like it would lead to a little girl's room, "Lena?" I asked as I pushed the door open. A tiny, wooden crib rested in the far corner of the room. I stepped inside and turned the lights on, "Lena?" I heard a small whining noise come from the crib as I crossed over to it. A tiny infant looked up at me with dark black eyes, and thick black hair.

She reached up with her tiny arms to me. I smiled and picked her up, cradling her tiny body in my arms, "Hey," she took her tiny hand and ran her fingers through my hair, giggling in the process, "You must be Lena." The baby smiled and continued to tug on my hair, "I don't really know you, but I get the feeling I'm supposed to." The baby just smiled and continued to look up at me.

"I'll take her so you can go put on some clothes to drive Liam to school," Grey said as he entered the room, "But nothing too fancy, because you have the nightshift at the hospital tonight, remember?"

I nodded and acted like I knew what he was talking about, "Yeah. Of course." I smiled as I headed towards the door.

"I love you," he called over his shoulder as he rocked the baby back and forth. I smiled and turned to look at him, "I love you too."

Death the Kid's POV

I looked from monitor to monitor with flickering eyes. The dark circles beneath my eyes were beginning to drag them down. I couldn't find her. Not a trace that she had ever existed could be found other than the fact of things that belonged to her. This was going to drive me insane. Where was she? Just where could she possibly be? I wasn't going to sleep until I had my wife in my arms again, and I would make sure of that.

Stein's POV

I opened my eyes with sweat pouring down my neck and forehead. My wrists strained against the chains that held them behind me. My eyes darted around the edges of my cell. _No way out. _

I bit my tongue to keep from shouting in frustration. I wasn't even really sure just where I was, but I didn't like the static hanging in the air. It felt dangerous. I looked to the side of me to see Ryuka beside me. Her wrist and ankles were chained together and her head hung forward; a large chaining connecting to the lock around her neck and holding her to the wall.

"Ryuka?" I reached over with my foot and lightly kicked her, gaining no response from it, "Ryuka, wake up." no response.

_Ryuka?_ I attempted to tap into her mine with no better results than my first two attempts to rouse her.

"Oh, I wouldn't attempt to do that," A silky feminine voice said from the darkened side of my cell, "She won't wake for quite some time."

My eyes squinted in an attempt to view my prison warden. Her soft, short layers of bronze-blonde hair hung close to her face, brushing over her tan skin. A few patches of golden scales stood out on her face as she stepped closer, her red eyes lingering with cunningness. A witch? That would make sense as to who would be holding us captive, I just didn't quite understand why. I felt my eyes narrow.

"What have you done to my daughter you scaly heinous bitch?" I growled through clenched teeth. She bent down to my height and held her hand beneath my chin, cupping it so I couldn't avoid meeting her eyes.

"Come now, Dr. Franken Stein," she cocked her head to the side, "There's no need for such a dirty mouth." I felt my teeth grind together, sending a sharp screeching through my brain, "Can we have a civilized conversation now? I'm not sure if you're quite capable of that, so I feel I should ask first."

"Just say what you have to say and let us go," I growled through clenched teeth, jerking my chin out of her palm.

"I'm sorry to say this, Dr. Stein," she slowly lowered her hand, "but we have no intention of letting you two go for quite sometime," I looked back up at her, "You see, she's the only way to really get under that Shinigami you call a leader's skin," she flickered her eyes over to Ryuka, "Without her, he'll fall apart. And then it won't be too hard to get him to do what we want. He will, after all, do anything to get his beloved wife back." A sick smile crept up onto her face as she thought about what she just said.

I looked over at Ryuka. It was true. Sure Kid was a Grim Reaper, but he'd done one thing that most reapers never dared to do; he actually loved the mother of his children. He loved Ryuka in a way such as the moon loves the stars, or the sun loves the sky. He could no longer exist without her, at least, not fully. And these people knew that weakness.

"And you Dr. Stein," I looked back over to the witch Sasori, "You are a nearly as necessary hostage as Mrs. Cross over there. It would be far to easy for the Shinigami to regain her if you had been left behind. Not to mention that the fact that your bloody sword will go nearly just as insane without you as the Shinigami will without her. Two is better than one after all."

_Sanguine…_I could see her face as clear as day. Blood red eyes. Silken black hair with long blood red tips. Delicate pale skin. Her sarcastic smirk.

"It's not her fault that she's insane just like her husband," he witch ran her fingers over the screw in my head, "_Mad _if you will. People like you don't even deserve a name that kind. There isn't a term low enough to describe people like you. People that can't even restrain themselves from practically killing their own daughters. Your kind are nothing but _monsters._" she got up and left, a sick looking smile on her face, "Goodbye Dr. Franken Stein. I hope to have another civilized conversation with you soon."

And then I was left alone in the cell with my breathing daughter and that sickening knife twisting into the center of my chest.

Ryuka's POV

I turned the keys in the ignition to quite the car. They let me out of my nightshift work tonight because there were already more than enough doctors there. Or was it just the fact that I seemed so off from my "usual self" that they didn't want me taking care of any patients? I really didn't see how it mattered, because I had other things on my mind anyways. It felt as if I were beginning to forget something. Something that I really shouldn't be forgetting. Something that had to be really important. But what-

"Ryuka?" I heard Grey's voice from outside the rolled down window of the car, "What are you doing home, shouldn't you be at work?"

"Oh," I released the steering wheel from my deathly tight grip, "They let me have the night off because they said they had too many hands working as it was, and that they didn't need me working tonight."

"Hmm…" Grey opened my door, "That hardly ever happens. I bet they'll expect you bright and early in the morning."

"Probably," I sighed as I stepped out of the car, "But it's not like I'm disappointed at having the night off."

"I would imagine not," he wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked into the house.

The second the door opened, I was greeted by…silence?

"Where are the kids?" I asked, looking across the room.

"I got them to bed early," he smiled, "I was actually getting ready to go to bed soon too."

_There's something I want to try. Something I want to do before I lose my opportunity to. _

"Hey, Grey?" I dropped my keys and bag to the floor as I said my words.

He turned and looked at me, but the words he would have said never escaped from him before my lips locked on his. I wrapped my arms up around his neck, pulling my body tighter to his. My body seemed to fit tightly to his, the shape of his chest feeling amazing as it pressed to my own. I kicked off my shoes as he slid off my white coat and dropped it onto the floor.

I wasn't sure how we ended up on our bed, but it seemed as if that was out next stopping point. My back pressed against the soft mattress as my hands continued to twine up into his soft locks of hair. I felt his fingers caress over my stomach, lifting up my scrubs top. I tugged his t-shirt up over his head, exposing his pale-white chest. I tentatively ran my fingers down his chest, taking in the feeling of his hard muscles beneath his skin. My hands eventually came to the button of his jeans and fiddled with it just as he lifted my top over my head. My hand came away from his jeans as his lips trailed down my neck. I felt my nails dig into his back as I arched my head back when he found just the right spot.

This felt so right. But so sickeningly wrong at the same time, because I felt as if I were still forgetting what was so important.

A/N: This chapter took so freaking long to write and I'm sorry I hadn't been able to update sooner! Especially with the cliff I left at the end of this last chapter! I'm so sorry faithful readers of mine! I've been so busy! So, about this chapter…it was so freaking dementedly weird to write that it gave me a few headaches here and there. I brought a character back ^^. I remember how some people reacted to his death in the previous story (believe me…it wasn't good). I even got a few requests at bringing him back. Well, I never imagined that I'd actually do it! Also, please review! PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY PLEEEEEASE REVIEW? I love and cherish and read every single review I get and hope to get some with this chapter. I truly do love all of you people that read and subscribe/favorite and follow and review my stories! I hope you guys are still enjoying this! Love you all! See you in the next chapter ^^!


	11. Shock

Chapter 11: Shock

Ryuka's POV

I felt Grey's warm arms encase my waist, his chest pressed up against my shoulder blades. I still wasn't able to get over how perfectly foreign his body felt pressed to mine.

"Mom, Dad," I heard Liam's voice from the other side of the door, "You guys should get up. I have graduation today, remember?"

"We got it Liam," Grey's voice danced across my skin as he spoke, his fingers gently rubbing up and down my stomach, "You know your mother has to work today."

I sat up in the bed, pulling the sheets up over my bare body, "I better get ready for my shift until six."

I reached down onto the floor and plucked up my robe before pulling it onto my shoulders, "That is, if I want to go to Liam's graduation." my voice left a hanging taunt in the air as it drifted through the door to my son.

"Mom! Mom, just ready for work!" He called in protest through the door. Laughs erupted from both mine and grey's throat.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, honey," I pulled my robe on the rest of the way and tied the knot around my waits before getting up and opening the door to see my seventeen year old son. He looked so much like his father, except for he had my eyes. I offered him a smile before tears began to well in the corners of my eyes and I wrapped my arms around him, "I can't believe my baby boy is all grown up!" I wailed into his chest.

"Come on now, Mom," Liam patted my back, "Don't cry."

"I-I'm not…"I wiped my face on his shirt, "I'm just-"

"Just get ready for work," Liam smiled and pulled out of our embrace.

Taka's POV

My head fell into my hands as I leaned forward onto the counter of the bar. It had been nearly two weeks and Sienna still showed no progress what-so-ever. And Shay…I didn't even want to think about Shay. He and his father both were both a mess. Every time I tried to sleep, I had nightmares. The worst part? I still couldn't bring myself to go see Sienna. I had been working more just to help manage money, and I was tired and still trying to keep up with school.

"Vodka," A tired and frustrated voice pulled me out of my daze as the maker of the voice plunked down in front of me. I looked up.

"Mrs. Stein?"

Her blood-red eyes came up to look at me in a glare, "Don't call me that. It makes me feel old and I'm not. Just call me Sanguine, or San for short."

"Um, okay," I reached across the back counter and grabbed the bottle, "You want it just strait?"

"Why would I ask for it if I didn't want it strait?" She asked in a groaning voice.

"That's some serious drinking. Are you sure?" I asked in protest.

"Taka," she gave me a harsh glare, "If you don't pour the glass within the next five seconds, I _will_ take that damned bottle from you."

"Okay then," I poured the glass and slid it across the counter to her, "Something bothering you, Sanguine?"

She shot the glass back and emptied it, "No," she said in a defensive voice, "Why do you ask?"

"Well," I refilled her glass as she pushed it towards me, "Not very many people come in here and just casually shoot down strait vodka. Not unless something's wrong."

"Maybe you should start minding your own business, Kid," She said as she threw back another glass and slid it towards me for a third, "Some people would have leapt over this counter and slit your throat by now."

"But you haven't," I refilled her glass, "Because something's wrong and you know it."

She shot back the glass and gave me a look with her glassed over eyes, "You remind me a lot of my husband," She sat her head down into her palm, "He can read me like an open book."

"Is that so?" I sat the bottle down on the counter. And looked at her with a silent expression, "Do you want to tell me why you're hear now, Sanguine?"

"I just needed a place to think," Her eyes wandered across the bar, "I used to come here all the time, but I stopped drinking…until recently, that is."

"Really?"

She smiled, "Yeah," Her long pale finger pointed across the room, "I did those oils over there."

I looked into the direction she was pointing to see a blood-red and silver swirling design with a few black stitch-type streaks darting across the design at a few points, "It's….beautiful," I said before looking back at her.

"I did it when Stein went missing nineteen years ago," She fidgeted in her seat, "But I never signed it. I didn't want people to know it was mine."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to believe I was in love with him then," A smirk crept over her face, "I was stubborn, who could help it?"

I kept silent after that, just letting my thoughts sink into my brain. Did I love Sienna? Or not? And then there was Lori…

"So, how is the search going?" I began to wipe down part of the counter.

"Judging by where I am," Her face slid into her hands, "How do _you_ think it's going?"

I bit my tongue. I hadn't ever thought _that_ would be the reason I would see her here of all places.

I was interrupted when she slammed a stack of money to the counter, "Thanks for the drink, Kid," she stood up and headed for the door. But I could swear that I saw the tears in her eyes.

Sienna's POV

_Where Am I?_

_It's so dark, and cold. And I'm not entirely sure how I got here. It feels like my entire body has gone numb. I don't understand; how did I get here?_

I could feel the chill in the air wrapped around my bare body like a blanket; it cloaked me in the darkness. I could feel my blood like ice in my veins.

_I feel like I'm suffocating. What is this heavy weight pressing down on my chest? Whose are these unfamiliar hands closed around my throat? Are they my own? Am I-Am I going to die this way?_

My heartbeat was pulsing through my head like some sort of live wire. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them in attempt to make myself warmer. I could feel my hair drifting out behind me in weightless patterns. Shivers shook beneath my naked skin.

_I feel as if I am weightless. My entire body feels like it's floating, but in what? Is this chill the breath of Death on my naked skin? _

_NO._

_I am Death. My entire family of reapers. All from my father's side, we are Death. Does that mean we can't die?_

I gulped and wrapped my arms around myself even tighter.

_I don't want to die, but that doesn't mean I want to live forever either. I wonder if this is how it feels in a cryogenic freezer. I feel as if I'm frozen a floating. Never moving forward, and never able to look back. _

Then another thought occurred to me.

_If I can't go forward, and I can't go back, then where is there for me to go?_

Ryuka's POV

I sighed and let my eyes drift closed in boredom as I sat at my desk in the back office of the ER. Friday was unusually quiet in this wing of the hospital. Usually we were buzzing with activity, but our unit had neglected to even come across something as minor as a broken toe. Half of our usual workers weren't even here. The silence was almost deadening.

"Dr. Night! Dr. Night!" I could hear Miyuki, the young trainee's voice flitting somewhere above me, "Dr. Night! We have two patients in!"

That was when it registered into my brain that I needed to move. I sprang up from my desk and took off down the hall before breaking open the doors to the main center and scrubbing my hands before pulling on a pair of gloves. Dr. Garland, My boss, walked in shortly behind me.

"What have we got here, Dr. Garland?" I asked as I turned off the faucet.

"Two patients," He pulled a pair of gloves on, "A nineteen year old girl by the name of Saki Evans and a twenty two year-old boy by the name of Mason Thompson. Car accident."

_Saki Evans? I-I know that name… But from where?_

"Dr. Night, You're needed in the OR," a voice over the small intercom in the prep room sounded just as Dr. Garland turned off the sink. The two of us looked at each other for a brief second before I pulled on my surgical mask and stepped into the operating room.

The pair of teenagers lay on two separate tables across the room from each other. The man had brown hair that framed his face; a large hunk of metal erupted from a section of his stomach. The pair of doctors working at his table were making an attempt to remove the shard without the blood filling up the boys stomach. The girl's long white hair was streaked with grime and blood. Her leg was bent up pretty odd, but other than a few severe cuts and bruises, she seemed to be fine. I walked over to the girls table and took a closer look at her leg. I looked up at the two nurses standing at the head of the table.

"Hold her body down," I took hold of her foot, "I have to reset the break, or it'll heal wrong." The two nurses nodded and secured the girl's, Saki Evan's, body. I waited until the nurses had a firm hold before I gave her leg a harsh jerk to realign it. Her hips arched off the table along with most of her back as she let out a blood-curdling scream. Her emerald eyes opened wider than what seemed possible as the tears streaked her face. I looked back up at the nurses, "Keep her stable. I'm going to go help Dr. Garland and Dr. Chase." The nurses nodded before I headed across the room.

"What's going on here?" I asked as I made a quick assessment of the young man.

"His blood is filling his stomach," Dr. Chase's voice came in a clear, concise voice, "And that obviously has to be stopped."

An idea sparked in my brain, "Amanda," I called to one of the nurses over my shoulder, "Get me a syringe."

"Yes, Dr. Night," She said before pressing a syringe into my hands.

"Dr. Chase," I looked up at our newest doctor in our ward, "I need you to apply pressure right here," I said gesturing to the patients stomach, "Dr. Garland, pull out the shard," I pressed the syringe just below the wound. The shard pulled from Mason's stomach and I pulled up the plunger in the syringe, filling it with blood to prevent it from filling up his stomach. After the syringe was full, Dr. Garland sat the shard down and picked up the suture from the tray and began to stitch up the wound in his stomach. The boys eyes golden eyes flew open and he attempted to sit upright, but I pinned his shoulders down as Dr. Garland continued to stitch him shut.

"Hey, Look at me," I looked into his eyes until he began to meet them, "You're okay. I'm going to take care of you."

"Where is" He took in a sharp breath as he attempted to calm himself down, "Where is my girlfriend? Where's Saki?"

"She's just fine, Mason," I offered him a brief smile, "Her leg may take a while to heal up, but other than that she's going to be just fine."

He responded with a serious nod.

"My name's Dr. Night," I couldn't recognize the familiarity I kept seeing in his eyes, "But you can call me Ryuka if you prefer."

"Okay, Ryuka."

"Dr. Night," Miyuki's voice buzzed over the small intercom, "The parents of your two patients are here to speak with you whenever you're ready."

"Right," I called over before looking at my watch, "Mason, Dr. Garland and Dr. Chase are going to watch you and Saki and check you into a room. I'm going to be back in a hour or so."

Mason nodded before I took off down the hall.

Silver's POV

"Daddy?" I asked as I entered the Death Room. The entire school was empty. The life that had been in the town had disappeared. All of the shops were closing. The town was running downhill, but now that both of it's doctor's were gone, Death City was just a few steps away from a ghost town.

"What is it, Silver?" My father asked from his place in the Death Room.

"I brought you some teriyaki chicken and rice," I smiled as I carried in the plate, "I know you're busy, but you still have to eat."

"I'm not very-"

"Dad," I pushed the plate towards him, "Eat."

He pulled his mouth into a tight line before he hesitantly took it from my hands. He slowly began eating. Chew and swallow. Chew and swallow, "So, How's Shay doing?"

"He's still at the Hospital with Sienna."

"And Sienna?"

"Not showing much improvement," I sighed, brushing my hair out of my face, "The doctors still don't know if she's ever going to wake up."

"He must be taking it hard," he chewed another bite and swallowed, "She's his other half. If he loses her, he'll crash and burn then hit rock bottom."

"I know," I bit my lower lip, "He couldn't go on without her." A few moments passed in silence as my father continued to eat and I stood there.

"Dad?" I looked closely at him, "Death City really has gone downhill, hasn't it?"

"The world hasn't been so great as it is," he sat his fork down on his plate, "And since we're in the middle of the desert, it's expected for the town to go downhill."

"How's the search for mom going?"

"Not so-" A flash began to appear at the corner of the screen, small and erratic along with an even beeping behind it, "Hold on."

"Dad, is that-" he held up his hand to silence me and stepped towards the monitor.

"I'm coming for you, Ryuka," He pressed his fingertips to the blinking red dot on the monitor, "I'm going to hold you in my arms again, I promise."

Ryuka's POV

I straitened my jacket as I turned down the next hallway. I was nearly to the waiting room of the Trauma ward. My short waves of hair had become slightly wild through the events of the day. I pushed open the door, clipboard in hand. That was when I was faces I knew.

"Maka? Soul?" The pair sat beside each other, Maka's head on Soul's shoulder. She looked like she'd been crying.

Then the next two faces turned.

"Liz?" I asked, seeing her long waves of brown hair move with her head. There was a familiar figure sitting beside her. His was a face that I knew well. I could feel my heart stop inside my chest as my eyes went wide. I dropped my clipboard, but never heard it hit the ground.

"Kid?"

A/N: That took way longer to write than it should have….I'm so so so so so sorry that my updates have been getting so slow! But I'm trying! I'll try to get the next chapter out faster! Leave a review pretty please! I need to know how all this is coming out so far. I love all of you guys! See you in the next chapter! ^^


	12. Awakening

Chapter 12: Choices

Stein's POV

My raw-skinned wrists burned as the shackles jingled against them. I could feel my blood seeping down my arms as Kuriketto unclasped them and gently set my arms down beside me.

"Dr. Stein?" She tipped up my chin, her feather light touch brushing over my dehydrated skin, "Are you hungry?"

Kuriketto was much nicer than Sasori, I could trust her when she offered food that it wasn't poisoned. I slowly nodded. Her dark eyes flitted to a plate of dry, cool food. She picked up a dried piece of chicken and held it to my mouth so I could eat. The meat held little flavor, but I didn't care. I swallowed a mouthful of water as she pressed the cup to my mouth.

I looked across the cell at Ryuka. She hadn't moved since the day we had gotten here. Her cheekbones were beginning to hollow out, and she was beginning to look too thin.

I swallowed another mouthful of water as Kuriketto pulled the empty cup away. Without a word, she stood to leave the cell.

"Kuriketto?" She turned and looked at the sound of my hoarse voice saying her name.

"Yes, Dr. Stein?"

"I still don't know just what Sasori wants. Why is she holding us here? Why is she so interested in the Shinigami family?"

She sat the tray down, "She's after something that the Shinigami family possesses. Something only Lord Death could ever give to her. She's after-"

Sasori slapped her hand over Kuriketto's mouth, waves of static poison dancing from her fingers and across the Cricket Witch's skin. Kuriketto's eyes fluttered closed and she slumped back against the scorpion witch.

"Now, Now, Dr. Stein," she shot me a scary looking smile, "I don't want you to know my plan. Not yet at least."

Ryuka's POV

I felt a swirling run through my head. I remembered going to school with Kid, but it seemed like there was more than just that. It seemed like I was forgetting something important about him.

"Dr. Night?" Kid asked.

"Oh Ryuka!" Maka sprang up and threw her arms around me, "Please tell me that my baby is alright! Is Saki okay?"

"She's just fine, Maka," I smiled, patting her back. I looked over at Liz and Kid, "Mason is just fine too."

"Thank Heaven," Liz sat a trembling hand on her heart.

"Dr. Night?" Kid asked again, "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Well," I picked my clipboard, "I suppose so."

The pair of us walked down the hall and into a corridor from which we couldn't be seen. Kid looked at me with the most sincere eyes.

"Look, Ryuka," Kid kept his eyes on the ground, "I know that we don't have the best history between us, but I want you to do everything you possibly can to save Mason."

The words he was saying weren't registering in my brain, "Kid, what did happen between us?"

"You don't remember?" He looked up at me.

I shook my head back and forth.

"After you came back from Tokyo, I remember feeling as if something changed in you. At first, I didn't take much note of it. But then you began going on as many missions with Grey as you possibly could, determined to make him a Death Scythe. Typically, that wouldn't have bothered me, but things seem to have altered in you. When I proposed to you, you accepted, but you seemed less than halfhearted to accept. About a month later, we had a huge fight. I accused you of seeing Grey while we were engaged. You threw the engagement ring at my head, packed your bags, and said you never wanted to see me again."

I swallowed, "Oh."

"But Ryuka," I could feel his eyes peering into mine, "If there's ever a time in your life that you want to give us another try-"

I pushed him away with my clipboard, "No. You're married. I'm married. I don't want to go there," I pulled my gaze away from his, "I don't want to go there."

A silence passed between us. He finally broke the ice, "I understand that. But Ryuka," I looked back up into his glowing eyes, "If there's anything you need, anything at all; please just give me a call."

"I will, thanks." Then he turned and walked back down the hall. That was when I felt the single tear roll down my cheek.

Shay's POV

"Hell no," I kept my hand folded around Sienna's still one.

"Shay," Silver sat her hand on my shoulder, "Your father needs _everyone _so that we can get mom and grandfather back."

"I don't care," I shook her hand off my shoulder, "I'm not leaving Sienna here unguarded."

"She's at the hospital, Shay. I doubt the staff is going to let anything happen to her," Silver folded her arms over her chest.

"I don't care," I insisted. I wouldn't leave her for the life of me. Not my sister. My sister whom I was supposed to protect. I had already let this happen to her; I would let anything else come near her.

"Shay," Silver came around on her knees in front of me so that I had to look her in the eye, "Please come…for Sienna."

I pulled out of her intent gaze, "Alright."

Silver came up and pulled me tightly into her arms, "Thank you, Shay."

Sanguine's POV

I lowered the empty vodka bottle from my mouth, catching the last drop on my tongue. I let the bottle clank onto the floor. I scanned the room and counted. That bottle mad ten in the last four days. If I kept drinking this consistently, I probably wouldn't ever be able to get up. Frankly, I didn't see how it really mattered.

I was brought back up by a loud knocking on my door. I simply ignored it.

"You damned bloody sword, let me in!"

I cackled as I remained in my place on the floor, "I don't know…The damned bloody sword isn't here…"

"Sanguine!" Sprit's irritated voice shouted from the other side of the door, "Get your ass out here!"

"I don't know who this 'Sanguine' is…" I groaned and hurled a bottle in the general direction of the door, "I think you have the wrong address."

"Then where might I be?" his voice seeped angrily through the door.

"You're in the slum part of Vegas."

"Oh?"

"Yep," I decapitated the next bottle, "this is where all the waste-landed low-life's live."

"And what might your name be?"

"Jasmine." I said with a smirk.

"Well, Jasmine, might you let me in?"

"That depends," I shot my head back and took a swig from my bottle, "Are you my midnight customer?"

"It's only ten thirty, so I'd assume not."

I picked up another empty bottle and chunked it in the direction of the door, "Then get the hell out!"

"Sanguine," Spirit lowered his voice, "We're going to get them."

"Who?"

"Ryuka and Stein," he opened my unlocked door, "We leave at midnight."

I smirked, "Then I suggest you get me the hell out of Vegas."

Death the Kid's POV

I stood in front of the mirror of the Death Room; information scrolled through the mirror at lightning speed. I was attempting to tune into the frequency of the place where Ryuka was and was starting to get into it. My brows furrowed in concentration as I scanned the screen. I was cutting it close. Then suddenly static crossed the screen and the image of a younger woman with golden scales across her tanned skin appeared on the surface of the mirror.

"This is a reserved freque-" She paused at the sight of me, "Why, Lord Death, I hadn't expected a call from you," She smiled and waved politely at the screen, "My Name is Sasori Scorpio. It's nice to chat with you."

"Um," This was kind of catching me off guard, "Okay then Ms. Scorpio, you seem to already know my name, So I suppose we should just get down to business."

She chuckled lightly, "Are you proposing a negotiation?"

"That depends," I looked her square in her red eyes through the flickering screen, "What is it that you want?"

"In exchange for?" Her head tilted to the side as she spoke in her silky, sing-song voice.

"My wife," I swallowed, "And Dr. Franken Stein. You took them roughly a month ago."

"In that case," She smiled, "I would like the Shinigami's Stone."

My eyes widened, "What would you know, let alone want, about that?"

"Lord Death?" Spirit's voice cut in, "Just what is it she wants?"

I looked over my shoulder at him, "The Shinigami's Stone is the stone that gives my family power. No one outside our family is supposed to know about it. It has the power to absorb souls and control death."

"And it's exactly what I want," Sasori put in, "And the only way you'll ever get your precious wife and father in law back is to hand it over to me."

"Deal," I swallowed, "We come at Midnight."

Taka's POV

I sat on the small air craft in between Shay, who kept shooting me dirty looks, and Lori, who kept trying to slide her hands into my Levi's. The plane flew wickedly through the sky as Sanguine piloted the plane. At first no one wanted her anywhere near any machinery (due to all the alcohol in her system), but seeing as she was the only one who could pilot the plane, we didn't have much of a choice.

"So what's the plan?" I could here Sanguine conferencing with my father in the cockpit.

" I have a replica of the stone in my possession," he whispered, "I plan on using that to trade for them."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Why do you thing I brought all of you with me?" He asked with a brief smile. He looked down in the palm of his hand at the picture he kept of her in his pocket. Her face looked soft as she smiled in the picture. I saw him twist his wedding ring around his finger.

I had good memories of Mrs. Cross, but it was hard to see her clearly as she was now.

Lori nuzzled up on my shoulder. I shied away at her closeness.

I had come to dislike the way she kept so close to me. It had become quite bothersome. I really didn't know if I liked her or not, but now really wasn't a good time.

Sienna's POV

My eyes snapped open as I lurched up in the bed. Monitors to the left of me beeped and tinkered. I looked down at my arm and followed the tube up to an IV pole looped with antibiotics. My heartbeat beeped in a steady pulse through the room. I looked to my rights and saw and empty chair with a vase of pure black roses on the table at the side. Who in the world could possibly have roses that were pure black, but not dead?

I opened the top drawer and found a pink cell phone along with a change of clothes sitting inside. I picked up the phone and turned it on, a musical tone coming from it's speakers.

The screen opened up on a picture of a kitten with the name 'Sienna Cross' across the top in pink letters. I looked at my reflection in the screen. Long silver hair and soft golden eyes.

I pressed the call button on my remote beside my bed.

"Yes, Mr. Cross?"

"Um," My voice sounded cold, "This is Miss Cross. I'm awake."

"Awake?"

"Yes," I closed my eyes, "I'm awake. And I want to go home."

A/N: I am SOOOOOOO sorry that I haven't updated in so long. I got really busy and hopefully the upcoming summer will give me much more time to work on my writing. I really do love ALL of my readers and hope that you will continue reading my stories. I hope this isn't getting too weird. I'll see you all in the next chapter! ^^


	13. Foreign

Chapter 13: Foreign

Sienna's POV

"Here we are, Miss Cross," The cab driver said as we stopped in front of a large, black manor. I Pulled down my short skirt further to better cover myself and sat a twenty down on the dashboard before I opened the door and slid out into the freezing night. I walked around to the back and pulled up my vase of black roses and the black satchel that had been in the room.

"Thank you Mister…" I looked at the sticker on his dash, "Lenny."

"Anytime, Miss Cross," He offered a smile as he shut the door. Slowly, the gray cab made it's way down the street. I turned and looked up at the manor. It was huge; it almost looked as if it had recently been remodeled. I walked up to the door and slid the house key in my hand through the lock and turned it until I heard a satisfying 'click' of the lock. I pushed the door open inside.

" Hello?" I called as the door closed behind me, "Is any one home?"

The was no noise in the silent house as I dropped the satchel to the floor. I crossed what appeared to be the family room to a case filled with pictures. There were ones that looked like me. There were also ones of a boy around my age with thick black hair and a silver streak through the bangs covering his left eye. His eyes shined gold. He stood next to me in a portrait with a man with midnight hair and three stripes on the left side of his hair and a woman with silver ends of her hair. Was this my family?

I sat my fingers on the glass of the frame. Nothing came to mind.

I looked at the dual set of stairs and sat my hand on the banister. Could I really live in a house so big? I slowly made my way up the soft white carpeted stairs. I looked around the hall. There were so many rooms; could one of them possibly be mine?

The pinkish door with kittens seemed to match my personality (according to this cell phone), so I decided to go in it. The room was so pink that it didn't seem physically possible. Simple, but elegant black and white furniture rested in a symmetrical array around the room. The black desk pushed against the wall bore all kinds of pictures and what looked like sketches signed Shay Cross.

"Shay Cross?" I asked aloud as I picked up a sketch of a rose, "What's Shay Cross?"

_Do you really not remember? _A small voice echoed through my skull.

I set the frame back down on the table, "Whose there?"

No response came as I looked around the room. I walked over to the closet and pulled the door open. It was so…pink. I hadn't even been here an hour and I had already begun to hate the color. I pushed my way to the back of the closet and found some simple enough grey-black style clothing. I pulled out a short black skirt and grey sweater before setting them on the bed and opening a drawer of the dresser and pawing through it until I found some not pink undergarments and nightclothes before I exited into the hall an roamed until I found the bathroom. I pushed open the door and set the pajamas on the counter and looked up in the mirror. My golden eyes sparkled with a dark shine, and my silver hair hung long past my collar and near down my back. I picked up one of the front parts of my hair. _Why do I have so much hair? _I picked up a pair of scissors. _Would it really matter if I cut it away? _I snipped it off a little lower than my jaw line and held the long strand of hair in my hand before dropping it onto the counter. _A little better._ I cut off the rest of my hair to match with several decisive snips. Soon, long silver strands of hair lay all across the counter. I looked at my reflection. This made me look older, more professional even. I had looked about fifteen or sixteen before; but I looked a little over eighteen now. I slowly stripped away my clothes and turned on the shower before stepping inside it. I think a nice shower might do me some good.

Ryuka's POV

"G-Grey," I pushed on his shoulders as he had me pinned to the bed and kissed down my neck. I pushed rougher against him and brought up my knees, "S-Stop."

He bit into the flesh of my neck harshly causing me to whimper for a brief moment before I pushed his shoulders harder until he hit the floor with a thud.

"Stop!" I sat up in the bed and shot him a look as I panted.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, sitting up from his place on the ground.

"Didn't you hear me say I didn't want to?" I asked in a loud voice. I picked up his pillow and threw it at him, "Go sleep on the couch!"

"Ryuka-"

I got up and pushed him out the door, "Get out!"

I panted in frustration as I locked the door and pressed my back to it. I twisted my wedding band on my finger as tears quickly dried from the corners of my eyes. Kid's words from last week had really gotten under my skin. It was almost like I had betrayed him. I pulled off my wedding ring and tossed it across the room before crossing the room hastily to the closet and pulling out a suitcase. I ripped all my clothes from the hangers and stuffed them into the case before crossing and emptying the drawers in the dresser of all my belongings. I grabbed my three best sets of shoes and stuffed them onto my bag before zipping it shut.

"Ryuka?" Grey's voice came from the other side of the door, "What's going on in there?"

I didn't respond as I pulled a pair of tennis shoes on followed by my coat. I caught my reflection. The sight of it almost made me want to cry. I picked up my phone on the charger before shoving the phone into my pocket and cramming the charger into my bag. I Opened the door and pushed Grey out of the way before slamming the door to our small bathroom.

"Are you packing?" He asked in a shocked voice from the other side of the door as I threw my iron pills and headache medication into my bag followed by my makeup and soaps.

"Yes." I pushed him out of the way as I exited the bathroom.

"It was just a fight, Ryuka," He sounded more irritated than anything, "I don't see why you're overreacting like this."

I picked up my purse and threw in my keys and wallet before pulling it onto my shoulder with my bag, "It's not that."

"Then what _is _your deal?" He asked, sounding more irritated.

I turned around and slapped him hard across the face. A look of shock plastered onto his skin. Tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes

"I can't live like this anymore!" My voice echoed through the apartment in a near-scream, "I have to get out of here."

"Ryuka-"

"Don't try to find me," the tears were now streaming down my face, "Don't tell the kids what happened."

"I don't understand-"

"I'm leaving, Grey," I was trying hard not to let my voice catch in my throat

"Ryuka," He gripped my shoulders, "Think about this for a moment."

" I already have," I pushed him away, "Goodbye Grey."

I opened the door and slammed it behind me before walking swiftly down to the parking lot and getting into my car. There was a place that I had to go.

Shay's POV

"Saki…" I breathed out her name in a slow exhale as she transformed into her sleek scythe and slid out onto my palm. The night air was cool and sent a chill up my spine. As far as I could tell, Sasori and Kuriketto were keeping my mother and grandfather held captive in the middle of nowhere. I looked up at the sky and traced the outlines of the stars. There were so many here. Could this be the same sky I used to look at back home?

"Shay?" Saki's voice came calm and clean in my mind, "Just where are we?"

"We're on the coast of southeastern Asia; just outside the borders of Vietnam ," My father's voice cut in clearly, "Very remote, very difficult to pinpoint."

"So this is where Professor Stein and Nurse Ryuka are being kept?" Saki asked.

I nodded. I could feel their presence somewhere…below us?

"The Witches' lair is underground," My father cut in once more, "Which is part of what made it so hard to find."

"Underground?" Saki asked.

"Most witches don't burrow, but since she's a scorpion witch, I assume that it's normal for them to do that kind of thing," I sighed

"Are we all ready?" My father asked as the last of our crew exited the plane.

I gripped Saki's hilt tighter, "Let's do this."

Sienna's POV

I dried off my now short and choppy layers of hair with a fluffy towel as I stepped out of the shower. The warm water had felt almost therapeutic on my skin. I hung the towel back up and pulled a silky white robe onto my body, covering only a little of my bare body. I looked back at my reflection in the mirror. Just who was I other than "Sienna Cross"? Where did my identity extend after that name?

"Who Am I?" I sat my fingers on the glass of the mirror.

_You mean you don't know?_ A voice similar to that of earlier darted through my mind.

I shook my head, "I don't know."

The voice didn't reply after that. I stepped back from the mirror and exited the bathroom. I suppose that looking around this house couldn't hurt. I decided to go for the room that was directly across from the bathroom. I pushed open the door and stepped onto the pure white carpet with light footsteps. Large black sheers hung from the two windows that rested on either side of the large white bed. An two elegant silver mirrors hung opposite each other on the soft grey walls. I stepped closer into the room. A portrait in a simple black frame hung above the bed. A skull painted in smooth black ink with three teeth and rounded black eyes and a nose to match. Simple black swirls came out in fantastic designs in the extra space of the painting. I stepped closer and looked at the lower right-hand corner of the painting. The signature read 'Shay Cross'.

"Shay Cross?" I asked allowed, "If my name is 'Sienna Cross', does that make this 'Shay Cross' a relative of mine? A brother? A cousin? There was no way to be sure.

I suddenly jumped when I heard a sound much like the front door unlocking. A soft voice hummed up the stairs. She was getting closer to this room. I felt a nervous pang in my chest as my heart rate increased. I backed up away from the door.

"What in the world?" The voice asked as it got closer. She swiftly pushed open the door and looked at me closely. After a moment, she ran towards me with her arms open.

"Sienna!" She pulled me into a tight hug, "Oh, Sienna! You're home!"

"Ah!" I nearly screamed as she hugged me.

"Shay will be so happy!" She hugged me tighter, "We can have a party, and you're all better. Oh thank God!"

"U-Um…" I gently pushed her out of the hug, "Okay Then…."

"Is something wrong, Sienna?" The woman studied me with her deep black eyes as her long silver hair swept across my shoulders.

"Just Who are you?"

Ryuka's POV

I stood on the porch of Gallows Manor as the rainwater dripped off my body. I held my suitcase and purse close to me. I slowly brought up my fist to the black door After a few moments, the porch light flickered on and none other than Kid opened the door.

"Dr. Night?" He asked in a slightly tired voice, "What are you-"

"It's actually Dr. Cross now…" My voice faded with each word, "But, Um, I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days until I get things straightened out."

"Ryuka," He opened the door wider and gestured for me to come inside, "What happened?"

I stepped inside and took my suitcase with me, "I…" Tears began to choke up in my throat, "I left Grey."

He pulled me into his arms just as the tears began to stream down my face, "Ryuka, it's okay."

I barely managed to nod as I buried my head in his shoulder. _What made me leave him before? I feel so safe and secure in these arms. The smell of mint and clean clothes soothes me. How could I walk away from this?_

"Ryuka," Kid gently stroked my hair, "You can stay here for as long as you need."

A/N: I am so sorry for such a late up date. I think my train of thought may have crashed into a wall. Not only that, but I've had a computer crash crisis too. But I will still update because I could never give up on my story baby! I also still love hearing from all of you marvelous readers! I really hope you're still liking this! Review and tell me what's running through your mind now! I love you all so much! SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! ^^


	14. In Your Arms

Chapter 14: In Your Arms

Sienna's POV

"Who are you?" I asked, backing away from the clearly older girl, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Sienna, It's Silver," She sat her hands on either of my shoulders, "Your older sister."

"I-" My eyes widened, "Sister?"

She nodded.

I threw my arms around her. I wasn't alone. I wasn't.

"Sienna?" She asked, "What is it?"

"I'm not alone…" I smiled as small tears streaked my face, "I have a family…"

"What made you think you were…?" Her voice trailed and then she pulled out, "Sienna was anyone else there when you woke up at the hospital?"

I shook my head, "No. I don't even really know who I am…"

"Oh, Sienna…" She stroked my hair and then fiddled with the newly short ends, "You've lost your memory, haven't you?"

I slowly nodded, "I must have…"

"The doctor said that there would be some damage…" She fiddled with my hair some more, "I like the new cut."

I gave a light blush, "Th-Thank You."

She smiled, "It suits you."

"I did it myself." I looked down, "I didn't want long hair anymore."

She smiled, "It's a good change for a fresh start."

Ryuka's POV

Kid and I sat on the couch of his living room. My bags lay in an asymmetrical array on in the floor with a slight puddle forming around them. I was curled close to him with my dripping body against his warm, dry one. I had his coat wrapped around me as I curled to him. This felt right.

"Ryuka," He tipped up my chin to meet his eyes, "You're still crying…"

My hand instinctively came up to my cheek, "I…am…"

"Does it really hurt so much still?" He asked, wiping the tears from my eyes, "Why did you leave?"

"I..." I shook my head, "I…couldn't take it anymore…He just wasn't the same…"

"I'm sorry that this happened to you…" He smiled kindly, "Hurts…I know…"

I blushed as I realized what he was talking about, "I don't actually remember…why I left…"

He shook his head, "I don't either," a small sigh escaped his lips, "In all honesty, I've wondered about that since the day you left. And I've never been able to come to a clear conclusion."

I felt a creeping blush come across my face, "You've been thinking about me?"

"Every day," He smiled, "I couldn't get you out of my head."

My blush darkened and a wave of guilt washed over me. I hadn't thought about him at all. Not once. He hadn't taken part in my thoughts until the day I saw him at the hospital. And I felt guilty because of that. It was like I had wiped him from my memory. And I didn't care about that until just now.

Sanguine's POV

I followed closely behind Shay as we kept walking in our small group through the underground witches' lair. My arm had been transformed into that blood red blade that I knew so well. It had given me my name "Bloody Sword". I had once hated the name, but eventually came to accept it.

Shay looked back at me, clutching Saki in his hands, "Um…San?"

"What?" I growled, my head still buzzing from the nasty hangover. Now I know why I stopped drinking.

"Can you sense them?"

I closed my eyes, "I'm picking up on Stein…but Ryuka's signal is really faint."

"Why, I wonder."

"She's under some kind of spell, or trance," Kid cut in, "That's why they were so hard to track. The witches probably did something to them to make the two of them harder to detect."

"That makes sense," I sighed, walking closer behind Shay, "It would explain why I haven't been able to tap into their minds; and the fact that they're so hard to sense."

The line of us suddenly stopped when we heard a clang a few halls down.

"What do you mean she's starting to remember?" A hissing voice growled, "She's not supposed to wake up."

"There appears to be some kind of interference in her brain. I can't fix that," A chattering voice responded.

"If she wakes up, you're going to figure out how to get rid of her," The voice growled.

_Over my dead body, _I thought. And that was when we attacked.

Ryuka's POV

My eyes shot open. _It's so dark._

"H-Hello?" I called out into the endless black abyss, "I-Is anyone else there?"

"R-Ryuka?" I knew that voice, "Are you awake?"

"D-Daddy?" I felt like a small child when I called him that…I hadn't said it that way ever since…before he hurt me…

"It's okay, Ryuka. We'll be okay, I promise."

Shay's POV

"Oh, Shay, if it isn't the most hansom Shinigami who doesn't want his job," Sasori smirked and offered me a little wave, "You would have been much more fun to kidnap, but seeing is how the only one who would have wanted to come after you is that trampy white haired girlfriend of yours and that annoying brat you call a sister, you weren't really the best of choices," I felt anger burn in my neck at her words.

"You bitch-"

"Speaking of which," She tilted her head to the side as she walked towards me, "how is that sister of yours? I heard that we put her in the hospital. I hope she dies, honestly. Such an annoying brat…And deep down, Shay-Kun, You know you want her to die too."

That was when something inside me snapped.

I ran towards her, armed with Saki, at a speed that seemed faster than human, "BITCH! YOU BITCH!" I ran a sharp slash across her shoulder, causing her blood to fly with my blade. I felt a few drops come up and hit me face, "YOU FUCKING WHORE!" I ran another slash over her, creating a deep gash in her thigh. More Blood; This time it landed in the silver portion of my hair, staining it a deep scarlet.

_"SHAY?!"_ I heard Saki's voice in my head. Then I did something I never thought I'd do; I ignored her.

"Is that the best you've got, Shay?" She laughed as more of her blood stained across my face.

A maddening expression crossed my face, "I'm just warming up, you damned witch!"

More Blood. Why wasn't she fazed? Why didn't she seem the least bit slowed down?

"I must say, Shay-Kun, the sight if you covered in my blood is quite enthralling! Cut me some more! The feeling of our blade slicing my skin is almost orgasmic!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I came across and kicked her in the jaw, "YOU DAMNED SKANK!"

_"Shay, you need to calm down!" _I ignored her voice, still.

"Shut it, Saki!" I growled, "This ends now!"

And then the blade sunk into the center of Sasori's chest.

Sanguine's POV

As much as I would have loved to see my grandson be violent for the first time in his life, (I'm SO PROUD! /) I was getting to stitches no matter who the hell got in my way.

"STEIN!" I stopped in front of a metal door with bars at the top, "Stitches, are you in there?!"

"Sanguine?!"I heard his voice and a rattle of chains, "Is that you?"

"Mom!" Ryuka cried out.

"Hold still!" I shouted before delivering a harsh kick to the door, causing it to crash to the ground. I bolted into the room and looked through the dark until I saw the sharp glint on his gunmetal screw. I skidded over to his area of the room and came down to my knees in front of him. I reached out and put my hands on either side of his face, "Stitches?!"

He looked at me in what was a combination of a half-smile, and eyes filled with gratitude, "San…" his eyes studied my face as I kept my eyes on him, "You're here."

"Of course I am, Stein," I smirked and reached behind him to start undoing his chains, "Of course I am."

Death the Kid's POV

I raced down the hall and stopped at the already opened door and skidded inside.

"K-Kid?!" Ryuka looked at me with hopeful eyes, "Is it you?"

"Lord Death!" Sanguine looked over at me, "You should be helping the others with-"

"If I can't at least come and get my wife out of the prison cell she's been locked in," I broke the chains off her wrists, "Then I'm not a very good husband."

The second her wrists were free her arms wrapped around my neck, "Kid!" I could feel her trembling as she cried against me, "Kid!"

"Shhh…" I patted her back, "It's okay. We're going home."

Sienna's POV

I stood next to Silver at the landing pad behind the DWMA; apparently that was where I went to school. We had received a call from my father (I didn't talk on the phone) that they were returning to death city tonight with the two people that the witches had taken.

This was so confusing! I thought witches were made up!

Suddenly, the hash wind from the helicopter blew my hair back, causing me to cover my eyes. As soon as the wind stopped, I looked up to see people I didn't recognize getting off the helicopter.

"It's okay, Shay," A white haired girl held onto the arm of a boy with black hair with a silver streak with a dark read staining the end of it, "You'll get her next time."

I froze; Shay was supposed to be my brother's name.

"She just makes me so mad. It's like she knows where all my points are. And when she started saying all that stuff about Sienna…" I tensed, "I just….snapped."

"Shay?" I took a step forward, "Are you Shay?"

He stopped and looked at me for a moment before he pulled me into his arms, "Sienna…." He hugged me tighter, "You woke up." I felt a small tear hit my shoulder, "I thought I'd never see you walking ever again."

I smiled and hugged him back. It didn't even matter that I had no idea who he was other than a name and a face. He was my brother. He was happy to see me. And now all that mattered was that I was in his arms.

A/N: I remember saying that because it was summer I was going to try and write more. WELL THAT BLEW UP IN MY FACE! I'm so sorry guys….I had some serious shit go down over the summer and I finally got around to writing on this. I'm going to try to get better at this ^^. I used to be able to update twice a month. WHAT THE HELL? Stupid Tsukiko-Chama…I can't get things done like I used to…I'll try harder! I love you guys so much! Please continue to read my stories and thank you so much for putting up with me! I LOVE YOU ALL! SEE YOU ALL IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	15. Return

Chapter 15: Return

Taka's POV

"Mom?" I sat my keys down on the coffee table, "Mom, where are you? I'm home."

The house was quiet for the most part, which wasn't that odd. Maybe she was asleep. I opened the fridge and poured a glass of milk before leaning against the countertop and taking a sip.

**CRASH!**

"And just what the hell was that, Tsubaki?!" An unfamiliar voice thundered from back towards my room, "Do you have some sleaze living in your house now?!"

I sat the milk down and rushed towards my mother's room. There was another crash, "You've always acted like a filthy whore, you know?!"

I pulled open the door, "What is going on in here, Mo-"

I froze, my whole body emitting a slight shake. A man I'd only seen in pictures was standing in the room across from the door. His hair was spiked and an electric blue. His eyes were a sharp teal, and his face was fuming.

"T-Taka," My mother came up and sat her hands on my cheeks, "Taka, honey, please go to bed, alright?" She managed a weak smile and kissed my forehead, "I'm so happy to see you, but just go to bed, alright?"

"Mom," I sat a hand on her wrist, "What is _he _doing here?"

"Leaving," The man called Black*Star pushed passed me and left with a noisy exit.

My mother looked down before she sank down to the floor in a sitting position. She buried her face in her hands: crying?

"Mom," I knelt down by her and sat my hands on her shoulder, "Why was he here? What did he do to you? I swear to God, if he hurt you, I'll kill him."

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around me as she continued to cry. She held onto my tightly: almost as if she let go I'd disappear.

"Mom…" Seeing her like this was hard, but not unusual, "Come on, let's go to sleep." I scooped her up into my arms and carried her to her bed. I finally got her to let go of me, but only if I stayed with her. I pulled her blankets up around her before moving to the other side. I kicked off my shoes and tugged off my jacket before lying down beside her.

"Taka…" She pulled me over to her, stoking my hair like she used to when I was small. She had only done it when I'd gotten a bump or bruise, or had a bad dream. She had always been a fretful mother, and in a way it was kind of nice how much she cared. Before I knew it I was asleep.

Shay's POV

"All of it, are you sure?" Silver looked at Sienna with curious eyes, "It took you a long time to hang all of this up."

"I don't care," Sienna laughed as she pulled down another girly poster, "Stupid posters don't need to be on the wall."

I smirked, "And what's the occasion for a room re-do?"

"The pink is driving me crazy," She wadded the poster up and tossed it to the floor, "I want to paint the walls."

"What color?" I asked, taking down a kitten poster and throwing it to the floor.

"Actually," She picked up the posters and threw them into the trash bag, "I was thinking about letting you paint it."

I looked at her, "You're joking."

She smiled, "Actually, I'm not," She looked at the walls, "I was thinking something gray, but I thought you could do a much better job," She looked over to me, "But would you?"

I smiled at her, "Of course."

Silver looked between the two of us and smiled, "Wow."

"What is it?" Sienna asked, tucking her newly short strands of hair behind her ear.

Silver smiled as she picked up the trash bag of posters, "I just never thought I would see you two get along so well." Then she disappeared out the door to throw the posters away.

"Um," I walked up to the wall, "So what were you thinking of doing?"

"I don't know…" She tipped her head to the side in thought, "Maybe gray as the base color with black over it…but no pink. God, not pink, I hate that color."

I laughed, "Amen to that!"

She looked at me for a moment before she giggled lightly, "I still have to go shopping for some new clothes. Only half of this stuff works for me. Maybe we can donate the other half to Goodwill or something."

I looked at her closet, "Yeah, I could take you shopping later if you wanted."

"Really?" She perked up a little, "Don't guys hate that kind of thing?"

"Well, usually, yeah," I crossed my arms, "But I guess I'll suck it up this time."

Ryuka's POV

I sat down on the floor by the window with the curtains drawn to block out the sunlight of the early morning. The sun was blinding, and it had become next to impossible to even look out at the daylight, let alone be in it. I heard Kid move in his sleep. I looked over to see him curled in the bed, my pillow in his arms. I blinked and stood.

He looked like a small child the way he was curled. I kept my gaze on him as I reached down and stroked his hair. I felt the still felt the guilt of knowing that I'd forgotten him. I felt the guilt of loving another. I couldn't help but feel it, and it hurt to even look at him.

He opened his eyes, and I moved my hand away suddenly, as if he'd burned me. He blinked sleepily and looked up at me before yawning and closing his eyes.

"Why don't you just get in bed?"

I tensed before looking at the ground, "I don't think I should."

He was quiet again before he sat up, his hand resting on mine, "You've been acting strange since we got back," His eyes met mine, "Are you okay?"

I pulled my eyes away. I didn't deserve to be looked at like that, "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"Well I am!" I shot back, jerking my hand away. Tears pricked at the backs of my eyes like hot needles. I took a step back, distancing myself from him. I was shaking now- whether from sadness or some kind of anger towards myself, I didn't know.

He continued looking at me for a moment before he looked back to the side, "What has happened to you?"

I clutched one arm around my body in attempt for comfort. I was afraid to tell him the truth, but the guilt was eating me from the inside. I swallowed and shook my head before I walked towards the door, "I need some air."

Sienna's POV

"And since our family originates from death, it's a role the first born male takes on when they become of age."

"So it's you then?" I asked, looking away from the rack of jackets, "You're the next Master of Death."

"Technically," He ran his fingers through his silver streak, "Yes."

I picked up a black blazer, "And what about me?"

"What?"

"Well," I put the blazer back and traded it for a long black coat, "If you're to become the master of death and I'm your twin, what am I to become?"

He looked at the coat in my hands, "I'm not sure: perhaps some kind of under ruler or a guard."

I slipped the coat on and looked at my reflection. Black suited me.

"It looks good," he stood behind me, "You look almost scary."

I reached up and mussed my fingers through my hair, "The hair ruins it."

"It's silver," He helped the coat off me, "I think you look pretty bad-ass."

"Would you help me dye it black?"

"Mom and Dad will throw a fit if you do that," He handed the coat back, "Plus, you already cut it."

"What about your streak?" I shot back, paying for the coat at the counter, "There's no way they haven't thrown a fit about that dye."

"They haven't," He smirked and held my back, "Because it's natural."`

"No freaking way!" She looked at me astonished, "That can't be!"

"But it is," he continued smirking as we walked from the store, "Just leave yours be. It's pretty."

"Sienna?"

We both stopped and turned to the source of the voice. A boy with raven hair and mile deep eyes stood there. He was looking as if her were excited about something. But what the hell did he have to be excited about? Sure, he looked great, but not with that weird face he was making.

"Do I know you?" he looked disappointed in my tone.

"Sienna, he's your partner," Shay hissed.

"Oh! Taka then…"

The boy - Taka - stepped closer, "It's good to see you awake and walking again."

"It's nice," I sighed, "aside from the memory loss."

"Um…Yeah, I imagine that's hard," He ran his fingers through his hair, "Um, so can I ask s through his hair, "you something?"

"Sure," I tucked a loose strand behind my ear, "What is it, Taka-Senpai?"

"Now that you've recovered, we should probably schedule in some extra training time. Do you have any plans next week?"

I thought for a moment before answering, "I don't think I do. We could schedule some time then."

"Sounds great," he smiled, "I'll see you then."

"See you then, Taka-Senpai."

Sanguine's POV

Our bedroom was foggy with smoke. I wasn't even sure how long it had been since Stein had fallen asleep, but I did know that I was half through my second pack of cigarettes. My hand shook as I tipped off some ash into the tray I kept on the bedside table. It was sad that I could go almost ten years without one of these sticks of death, but suddenly binge on them when I got my meister back.

The sheets clung to me like a second skin as I lay back down beside him. The sheets fell in a grey cascade down hips; his bare chest rising and falling in a slow rhythmic pattern. I traced the patterns of stitched that danced over his skin with my eyes. The scars made him who he was and I couldn't picture him without them. But they also made me think of what all he'd gone through.

I laid my head against his chest and closed my eyes. _I missed you so much, Stitches._

"I missed you too."

I jolted and looked up at him, "Don't do that! I thought you were asleep!"

He chuckled and ran his fingers through my hair, "Sorry, but when you talk in my mind, I can hear you, asleep or not."

I curled back up, "Weirdo."

"That I am," He smirked, "You're awfully cuddly."

"Shut up," I nuzzled his chest and closed my eyes, "I missed you, Stupid."

"I know, you already said so," He looked up, "I thought you didn't smoke."

"I don't," I said tersely.

"Then why is the room so hazy?"

"I just smoked a pack and a half."

"I thought you didn't smoke."

"I told you," I glared, "I don't."

"Then how-"

"Stress, damn it!" I hissed, smacking his chest.

He stifled a laugh, "Okay, Okay."

"…I love you…"

He kissed my forehead, "I love you too, Sanguine."

A/N: I'm sorry that this took so long. I got so damn preoccupied that I didn't have the thought process to work on this. I apologize for the short suckyness it is. Please forgive me /. Hopefully I'll see you in the next chapter sooner this time.


	16. You Found Me

Chapter 16: You Found Me

Sienna's POV

"So you're multiple weapons?" I tipped my head to the side, "How does that work?"

Taka ran his fingers through his hair, "It's a power that runs in the Nakatsukasa family. Since I'm my mother's only and oldest child, I inherited those powers from her."

"But how do they work?"

"Well," we continued walking through the small forest just outside the academy, "When I transform, I chose which weapon I want and that's what I turn into. Typically though, I'm whatever weapon you ask me to be. You're the meister, so you're in charge."

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, "What all do you change into?"

"A chain scythe, a smoke bomb, a ninja sword, and an enchanted sword," We stopped in an empty field.

"Wow," I adjusted the collar of my coat, "That's impressive."

"Not really," he stood across from me, "Where do you want to start?"

I shrugged, "I'm not sure…shouldn't we just try to be able to connect first?"

"Right," he nodded, "You liked the short sword before. Do you want to try that?"

I nodded, "Okay."

There was a soft glow and Taka flipped into the air and landed in my hand as a short sword. A static wave rolled through my hand and the sword clattered to the ground. This would be harder than I thought.

Sanguine's POV

Stein? Stein?

I ran through the forest, searching for my partner. Branches snagged at my legs and scrapped the heels of my feet. My breath came out in short pants as I ran. It clouded in small puffs in the night air as I ran.

Stein? Stein, Where are you? Stein?

I began to trip on the roots of trees. My clothes were sticking to me like a second skin. My hair was tangled with leaves and matted with sweat.

Stein? Stein?

I fell and skittered into the mud. My fingers and head felt numb. My throat wouldn't let me scream out. Where we my meister? Where was my Stein?

Darkness began to close around me? My throat was closing up and I couldn't take in a clear breath. No. NO!

Stein?!

I lurched up in bed gasping for a breath. It coughed its way into my lungs and I gasped. Sweat poured down my neck in bullets.

"Sanguine?" Stein sat up and put his hand on my arm, "Sanguine, what's wrong?"

I panted and leaned my head against his shoulder, "Don't leave."

"What?"

"Don't you leave me, Stitches," I looked into his eyes, "Or I'll kick your ass to the moon."

Ryuka's POV

I lay back against the bathroom wall. I felt cold. I felt dead. I didn't want to open the door, even as my husband knocked on the other side. Go Away. I don't deserve you, Kid, Go Away.

"Ryuka," He opened the door and walked towards me, "Come here. We need to talk."

"Kid…" I looked away from him, "Don't…"

"No, you don't," He gripped my arms, "You've been tuning me out completely ever since we got you back."

My eyes dropped to the floor, but his grip stayed just as strong.

"Ryuka, what's happened to us?" He let go of my arms, taking a step back and keeping his gaze on me.

"Kid-"

He tipped my chin up, his golden orbs peering down into mine, "What happened with the witches?"

"Kid, I already told you," I looked down and gently pushed his hand away, "They had me under some kind of spell. I don't remember anything."

"Ryuka," he pulled me close, "I believe that just as much as you do. Just tell me, please?"

I looked away, "Kid…You'd be better off not knowing…"

"That doesn't matter what I'd be better off with," He turned me to face him once more, "When there's something wrong with my relationship I want to know what it is so that I can fix it. I love you. Not a force in the world could change that."

My eyes met his and I sat my hands on his chest, "Okay…"

"Okay?"

I nodded and swallowed, "Okay."

Sienna's POV

I panted for a clear breath and reached for Taka's handle once more. My palms were literally steaming. Burns lined them as they screamed an angry red.

Before I could pick the hilt up, Taka transformed back, "We should stop."

"No," I panted out, "No, I can do this."

"Sienna," He crossed his arms, "Look at your hands. We need to stop. Your mother's going to kill you as it is. Let's just-"

"No!" I shouted, clenching my fists.

He froze, jumping slightly at my sudden outburst.

Angry tears welled at the corners of my eyes, "I don't want anything else to be different. I'm already changing; I don't want a new partner. "

"Sienna-"

"I want to remember," I blinked away tears, "I have to be able to do this."

Taka paused for a moment before grabbing my hand and leading me out of the field, "Come On."

"What?" I followed, "Where are we going?"

"To someone that can help."

Ryuka's POV

I looked down and gripped the fabric of my nightgown. Kid studied me with his eyes as we sat on opposite sides of the bed. The air was thick between us.

"So you're saying that they put a spell on you," He sat his hand on my thigh, "And you forgot about me…but you were married to Grey?"

I nodded, "But then I saw you and-"

"Shhh…" He pulled me into his arms, "It was just a spell, Ryuka."

"But I," Hot tears welled down my face, "I forgot about you. I forgot how much I love you and I-"

He pulled me into a kiss, holding my body to his. I blushed, but didn't push him away. When he pulled away he locked eyes with me, "It doesn't matter that you forgot…It was a spell. What's important is that you remember now," He ran his fingers through my hair, "And I don't love you any less now than I did before."

I looked down, "Kid-"

"What matters is that you found me again when you woke up," He laid us down in the bed, "And I found you."

His lips met mine once again and our bodies pressed together, "And I'm never going to leave you again."

Saki's POV

"Why does everything have to be about the baby?" I asked over my shoulder as I tied my shoes, "It isn't even due for another month."

"Saki, your mother's just getting a little hormonal," My father spoke from behind me, "You have to give her a break."

"I'm still here, dad," I pulled Sammy's leash off the wall and hooked it to him, "I still matter too."

"Saki," He sat a hand on my shoulder, "Where do you think you're going? It's after dark and you know that there's been a Kishin problem lately."

I shook his hand off, "I'll be fine dad, and I've got Sammy with me."

With that, I stepped out into the dark streets, pulling my dog alongside me.

Stein's POV

Sanguine and I sat at the table in silence. We were just kind of staring off into space until she finally broke the silence, "So what do you think is going to happen now?"

"With what?" I raised my brows and fiddled with my scalpels on the table.

"With Sasori and Kuriketto still out there," She watched as I continued to stack my scalpels together, "What do you think is going to happen?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed as the scalpels fell back against the table, "Perhaps they'll continue to pursue the Shinigami stone. Or maybe they'll find a new source of power. There really isn't any telling what's going to happen."

"But if they we're going to attack," She sighed, "Now would be the time. Our ranks are still scattered. All the Death Scythes haven't arrived yet according to protocol. And the entire Shinigami family is at its weakest right now."

I tightened my grip on my scalpel, "You're absolutely right. If anything, we should be prepared more now than ever."

Our conversation was interrupted with a knock on the door.

"Who could that be at this hour?" I stood and walked to the door and pulled it open. Taka stood there with Sienna at his side.

"Professor Stein," He looked at me then over my shoulder at Sanguine, "We need your help."

A/N: I am so sorry that this took so long. It's hard to figure out just what to do with this story. I think I kind of have an idea of what to do now, but no guarantee on the next installment other than that IT WILL eventually be up. Thank you guys so much for putting up with me all this time and still reading this. Please review because it helps give me a reason to work on this! I mean it! Please~! I love you guys so much!


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